


The Cure

by LemonLimeMaid



Category: Vampire Knight (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Angst, Blood Drinking, Death, Eventual Romance, F/M, Fluff and Smut, Lemon, Mild Language, Post-Canon, Sexual Tension, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-04
Updated: 2019-04-22
Packaged: 2019-11-09 07:49:07
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 38,340
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17997824
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LemonLimeMaid/pseuds/LemonLimeMaid
Summary: After the fall of Cross Academy, everyone went their separate ways. Since then, Zero has been dedicating what's left of his time to vampire hunting. But he's still rapidly declining to Level E and it's only a matter of time before the Association considers him a liability. When rumors surface about a cure for Vampirism, fate brings Zero and Yuki together again.





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This takes place after Yuuki leaves Cross Academy with Kaname and it picks up where the anime left off. 1st chapter recaps a little, so bare with me. Also, let me assure everyone, this is a Zero/Yuuki fic. It might seem Zero/OC or Yuuki/Kaname at times... but, it isn't. For those who care to know, Zero and Yuuki will reunite in chapter 6, if I recall correctly. Patience is a virtue ;)
> 
> Oh yeah, let me throw it out there that I haven't really read too much of the manga, except for the ending and I didn't like it, to say the least. I didn't like the direction the manga seemed like it went (from the bits that I've read but my knowledge is limited), so... This is me, re-writing it more to my own taste. Hope you enjoy :)

Zero Kiryuu dropped his belongings with a heavy thud by the door. He kicked off his shoes and striped off his shirt once he reached the privacy of his apartment, desperate to get out of the cold, wet clothes that clung to him. He was soaked from the rain, his bangs were matted to his forehead, and large droplets of water rolled off of his silver hair. He ran his hand through it in attempt to rid it of some of the moisture, but it didn‘t do much good. He left his drenched clothing scattered on the floor as he made his way to toward the back of his apartment, too exhausted to care about the mess at the moment.

The day’s events weighed heavily on his mind. He’d just got back from an assignment. It seemed crime was at an all-time high in the town, and it was no longer safe to be out after dark. The increase in Level E’s certainly kept him busy... It took nearly all hunters in business at the moment to keep them at bay. Vampire hunting was beginning to take a lot out of him.

Tossing his gun on the bed, Zero went to his closet to find new clothes. He absentmindedly shuffled through his wardrobe, still contemplating the ordeal with the Level Es before he remembered something. There was an old hunting book that his childhood mentor Touga had left him a long time ago... assuming he could find it. He was sure that he’d read something about similar occurrences happening before. He wanted to find out what would cause such an increase in Level Es and what could possibly draw them to the area.

Abandoning his search for clothing, Zero strained as he rummaged through the disorganized mess of old papers and books and other assorted things that he’d stored away on the top shelf of his closet. He continued shuffling through his things when he felt something like paper drift to the floor and land by his feet. He glanced down at it for a few moments, half tempted to leave it lay there but bent down and picked it up anyway. His lavender gaze went wide and his chest tightened painfully when he realized that the paper was actually a picture…

He stared dumbfounded at Yuki’s smiling face beaming back at him, her big doe eyes shining with innocence. Zero averted his eyes, bitterly crumpling the picture up in his fist, and threw it roughly in the direction of the trash, although it missed and bounced off the side of the waste basket to litter the floor. He refused to think about her, after all this time…

He suddenly had no more motivation to search for anything. Everything suddenly forgotten and still clad in nothing but his boxers, Zero made his way to his sloppy, unmade bed, snatching up his discarded firearm before collapsing into his soft mattress with a heavy sigh. His muscles ached and his eyes throbbed from the lack of sleep for the past few days. He let them drift shut, but he knew he wouldn't be able to doze off. The unbearable burning itch in his throat and sharp hunger pains in his stomach prevented him from obtaining any sense of peace. Opening his eyes, Zero glared up at the ceiling in frustration, his hands absently began to twirl Bloody Rose between them.

He couldn’t keep himself from thinking about her now... It had been nearly 3 long years since Zero had last seen the sweet, trusting, innocent girl that was Yuki Cross. Zero’s fidgeting with his gun halted and he gripped it tightly between his two hands, his knuckles turning white from the effort. The painful throbbing in his chest increased at the mere thought of her name. It wasn't even her name anymore; it was Yuki Kuran now. She had reverted back to her original name as a Kuran.

Zero recalled the day she left to be with her pureblood brother and his jaw tightened. Kaname was so condescending and conniving that it made Zero’s blood boil, yet Yuki had always admired the pureblood, as if he were a saint rather than a vampire. In her naïve and impressionable mind, the pureblood could do no wrong. But he could see through Kaname’s ‘perfect honor student’ façade. All this time, Zero had strived to protect her from vampires; meanwhile she had spent her time being helplessly infatuated with one, something he just could not understand. How could anyone find cruel, blood-sucking beasts appealing?

But then, it hadn’t been Kaname that had attacked her one day out of nowhere out of bloodlust… or that had selfishly took her blood on a regular basis following. Even all this time, he still felt guilty. Even he was a traitor to himself and he hated it. He tried to protect her from vampires… but he couldn’t protect her from himself. And then she was no longer a human and everything suddenly changed…

After it was all said and done, all Zero could do was watch her go, letting bitterness and hatred consume him as she happily left Cross Academy with a smile. For the first time, he hated her. For the first time, he wanted to put an end to her existence, just as he did all vampires.

“Yes, Zero. I’m glad you understand. The Yuki you once knew… is gone.” Zero recalled Yuki’s words to him, after she reawakened as a pureblood. It hurt, every time he remembered those words. Yuki was… gone. Somehow he just couldn’t fully wrap his head around that fact.

After all this time, he regretted letting himself get close to her. But no matter how hard he tried to push her away, shut her out... she always managed to somehow work her way in again. But the day her humanity was stripped from her, was the same day his heart hardened towards her and his instincts as a vampire hunter took over. In that moment, they became enemies; Vampire versus Slayer. Things were different now; she was different now. Everything that had happened between himself and Yuki didn't matter because it didn't change what she had become. Even though some part of him desperately wanted her back, there was nothing left of her to have. She wasn't Yuki anymore. He swore to end her life one day. But he mourned her, as if she were already dead. As far as he was concerned, the two purebloods deserved each other. But then, why did it still hurt so much?

He hadn’t forgotten his promise; When the time came, he would do what he had to do no matter what, and he couldn't let anything get in the way of that, especially not feelings. He wouldn’t be so weak. He had learned the hard way that hunters couldn't afford feelings or emotions when it came to their work. Years ago, Touga had lost his eye to teach him that lesson…

Forcing himself to turn his thoughts to other matters, his hands began to nervously play with his gun again, twirling it between them and passing it back and forth in a futile attempt to distract himself, not only from his thoughts but the nagging pain plaguing him as well. Restless, Zero got up from his bed and began to pace the length of the room thoughtfully, gun still in hand.

Cross Academy never really fully recovered. The school was still mostly in ruins and the students had all been sent home, but Kaien Cross continued to reside there alone, refusing to abandon his beloved Cross Academy. However, he couldn't find enough students willing to attend and the campus was reduced to a vacant shell of its former bustling, thriving glory. He was slowly working to revive it, but anyone could see it was a lost cause. Zero believed him a fool for even trying. The stability of the school had always been shaky. Everything that the school stood for had failed, as Zero had always known it would.

Unlike the Headmaster who had stayed at the school, Zero had left everything behind and started over. The Association invited him to stay in one of the small apartments reserved for only the best hunters and he hadn't hesitated to take them up on the offer. It was too painful to stick around the academy when every place in the school seemed to hold a bittersweet memory of the girl- or rather, the vampire that had betrayed him.

The word ‘vampire’ left a bad taste in his mouth, even though he didn’t verbally speak it.

Despite his efforts, her memory seemed to haunt him no matter where he went. Her sweet voice echoed in his ears and a vision of her flooded back to him as they often did.

"I don’t care if you hate me along with the rest of the night class; I won’t let you give up on yourself!” Yuki’s gaze was intense as she looked at him. He remembered the way her cheeks were lightly flushed and how her heart sounded as it thudded against her chest. He could tell she was nervous, but she seemed to be very confident in her decision to offer her blood to him, seeing complete determination in her eyes. He had always marveled at how selfless she was… forgetting all about her own well-being to help him. She was willing to sacrifice everything, even her relationship with Kaname... for him.

It was then that he remembered his response, "Yuki, how could I ever hate you…”

Zero suddenly felt his stomach lurch and this mouth began to water. The familiar feeling of nausea hit him, and the burning of bile worked its way to his mouth. Unable to make it to the toilet in time, he dropped to his knees in front of the trashcan beside his nightstand, Bloody Rose colliding clamorously with the floor as he threw up. Stomach finally feeling a little more stable a few moments later, he wiped his mouth and sat back against the wall feeling rather drained and weak.

He wasn’t sure how much longer he could live the way he was. Since Zero no longer had Yuki to offer him her blood, he was forced to resort back to using the blood tablets that his body insisted on rejecting. Being unable to keep the pills down had caused him to lose a considerable amount of weight and he was becoming progressively pale and famished more and more each day. Zero had grown accustomed to the ache in his chest, the hunger, and sleepless nights. Every day seemed to be even worse than the last. He wasn't doing well to say the least, mentally or physically. The only reason he had made it so long after Yuki left was because of Shizuka’s blood that he acquired through Ichiru and Kaname, as well as Kaname's pure blood and all of Yuki's now awakened pure blood flowing through his veins.

With the blood of three purebloods and the blood of his twin, he had gained incredible powers, and with them, he had been able to control his thirst for a while, and he was even able to take the blood tablets without throwing up. But the affects had been only temporary, and his momentary relief from bloodlust was finally beginning to wear off. He supposed that the only true way to prevent becoming a level E was to drink from Shizuka directly, but since she was dead, he was pretty much screwed. He may have prolonged his fall to Level E, but it was still only a matter of time before the “end” inevitably came for him…

A knock broke the silence and Zero rose to answer it, forcing himself up off the floor. He pulled the door open to reveal a petite, young human girl with long raven hair and dark violet eyes.

The girl standing in the doorway was named Ayame. She was his neighbor who lived in the apartment across the hall who was also from a strong line of vampire hunters, something that she and Zero had in common. She and Zero saw each other now and then in hunter meetings and such. Since the academy had shut down, Zero had devoted most of his time to vampire hunting, using it as an emotional outlet and distraction. He did everything he could to keep his mind on other matters rather than let himself be consumed by his negative thoughts and emotions or dwell on things that couldn't be changed.

Ayame stood rather awkwardly at the door for a minute with a ghost of a blush lightly staining her cheeks and a notebook clutched in her arms while Zero looked at her expectantly, forgetting that he was only in his boxers. Voice temporarily escaping her, she couldn't help but let her eyes wander over his perfectly muscled chest and abdomen, taking note of how the muscles around his hip bones created an alluring 'V' trail leading down to his...

Zero cleared his throat impatiently, successfully bringing her out of her trance. She had been gawking at him much too long for comfort.

“Erm,” She started, as if she were suddenly shy, “I… I thought I’d come by to bring you some the updates, notes, and information that you've missed throughout the week. You've been absent from the hunter meetings a lot lately.” She offered the notebook to him but he didn't take it, only continued to stare at her, creating another rather awkward silence. “Erm, so you've heard about the increase of level E attacks in town, right?” Ayame mentally kicked herself as soon as the words left her mouth. Of course he knew, he was the only reason they hadn't taken over the whole city yet. It was really just a desperate and pathetic attempt to put an end to the uncomfortable atmosphere between them.

Zero finally took the notebook from her with a quick “thanks” and went to shut the door.

“W-wait,” she said frantically as she put her hand up to stop the door before it could shut in her face. “I thought that maybe you could give me some pointers and prepare me for my performance exam coming up.” she trailed off a moment before adding, “erm, together. You know, tutor me.” The blush on her cheeks darkened slightly.

‘Geeze,’ she mentally rolled her eyes at her pitiful self for trying so hard. But she couldn’t help it. A guy had never captured her interest the way he did. He was a mystery; a complicated and challenging puzzle that she wanted desperately to solve. But what exactly it was about him that was so irresistible, she couldn't quite put her finger on it. She couldn't understand why he seemed to be the only male to be completely immune to her charm; that alone was enough to make her helplessly infatuated with him. She supposed that it was partially because she was the type of person to want what she couldn't have, but… there was more to it than that.

Zero sighed heavily. He wasn't in the mood for company. “Look, I’m really not in the mood. Maybe another time,” He moved to shut the door once more, but she stopped it again.

“Please?” She gave him the look, the look that no guy could resist. She was very aware of the affect her looks had on men. She knew she was attractive and could get any guy she desired, therefore she had mastered the opposite sex at a young age. Ayame was used to boys getting flustered around her, but Zero was different. She could never get the same reactions out of him as the other guys, which drew her to him like a moth to a flame. In fact, he was the only one that made her flustered. But she had to keep her cool, as she knew that it may be the one in only chance she had to get him to notice her and perhaps get to know him better. He always just blew her off in the past, but not this time. She wouldn’t let him!

As Ayame had suspected, her charm didn't have any effect on him and Zero didn't hesitate to decline her wishes once more, but that didn't mean she was about to give up. She blocked the door for a third time.

“Look, I know you probably don’t care, but I get paranoid at night. I keep hearing about all the Level E attacks near here. It could be only a matter of time before one or more of them wander here. I can handle myself, but I just think it's best to stick together. Plus… I think I could learn a few things from the reputable hunter, Zero Kiryuu,” she argued.

‘Stroking a man’s ego almost always works,’ she thought, her fingers mentally crossed. It was true though, Zero Kiryuu was quickly building a name for himself in the world of vampire hunters, maybe even surpassing his own mentor Touga… and comparable to even the legendary Kaien Cross. Of course, she knew that Zero wasn't just a hunter, but a vampire as well. It wasn’t a big deal though. She normally she had distaste for ‘bloodsuckers’, but she made an exception since it was obvious that Zero hated vampires as much as she did. He really made absolutely no effort to hide it. Besides, he was equally as attractive as she was, if not more so, seeing as all vampires were gorgeous, flawless beings. He had an effortless and undeniable sex appeal which he didn't even seem to be aware of. On top of his admirable looks, strength, smarts, and skills, the two of them actually had a lot in common. They shared a strong hatred for vampires and the same dedication to vampire hunting. And since she was the daughter of the Association's President, she supposed she herself was quite famous as well, though she was still learning. Come to think of it, Zero was also a bit older than her, but she didn’t care about that either. She had just turned seventeen a few days ago and Zero was already comfortably twenty one.

She paused, trying to judge his reaction but when she couldn't, she added, “I won’t ask any personal questions, I promise. We’ll just talk about vampire hunting.”

Zero sighed heavily once more at her hopeful expression. “Fine,” he said simply in defeat. He didn't much care for her persistence, but he didn't have the energy to keep arguing. He turned from the door without shutting it.

Happy that he gave in, Ayame closed the door behind her. Zero seemed to have realized his lack of clothing, as he had slipped on some pants before he returned to his bed to lay down as he had been before she’d knocked on his door. Ayame watched him, a bit disappointed that he covered up, but his chest was still pleasantly bare and she hesitantly moved to sit on the bed beside him.

When she thought about it, did Zero have a few off-putting traits? Sure. He was distant and angsty and very private, sometimes even downright rude. But he was straight-forward and didn't sugarcoat things. She couldn't say that any of his more undesirable traits bothered her much... not when she had grown up with such an overbearing, insensitive father. Zero was a walk in the park in comparison.

Glancing around his room, she noticed the vomit in the trashcan and crinkled her nose. “Are you sick? Is that why you haven’t been around lately?”

“I thought we were going to talk about vampire hunting,” he replied dryly, trying to avoid answering.

“We will,” she assured him, “right after you answer my question.”

Zero grumbled in annoyance. She was so bold and pushy, and much to his displeasure, she always brushed off and ignored his smart remarks and patronizing glances with ease. He was used to the meek little girls from the academy who’d recoil at even the slightest glare from him. Otherwise, he just found it annoying when they would follow him around or ask him personal questions, both of which Ayame was particularly good at.

Zero sat up to glare at her. “It really isn't any of your business,” he snapped in growing irritation. “But if you have to know,” Zero paused and bowed his head as if ashamed of what he was about to say, “I… haven’t had proper nourishment in a while.” If he was lucky, maybe revealing that he was thirsty for blood would scare her away.

Confusion appeared on Ayame’s pretty face. “Don’t you use blood tablets? I see you take them all the time.”

“I take them, but they don’t do much good,” he explained, “My body rejects the pills and I end up throwing them up. They only take the edge off for a short period of time.” He studied her reaction as he explained and was mildly surprised. The girl was now aware that she was alone in a confined space with a hungry vampire, yet she still showed no signs of fear or wariness. She didn't even appear the slightest bit tense. Zero thought maybe she had simply over-looked the implications of his statement and hadn't put two and two together yet. Or maybe she simply wasn't intimidated and blew it off because she was a hunter and capable of defending herself…

In truth, Ayame was curious and intrigued by the notion. Zero was different from other vampires, and there was something pleasantly exotic about being alone in a sexy blood-lusting vampire’s apartment. It didn't take long before she found herself fantasizing about what it would be like to be bitten by him. A pleasant shiver ran through her body at the thought. She wanted to feel his hot, labored breath caress her skin as his sharp fangs sank into her delicate, sensitive flesh… to get the overwhelming rush of ecstasy as he hungrily took what he wished from her, dominating her… to feel his strong, hard body pressed firmly against hers… to look into his steely eyes and see smoldering lust burning in them…

Her cheeks, she knew, were flushed. She was so turned on by the idea that she could have begged him right then to take her. Trying to keep herself under control, she did her best to push her fantasy aside and not to reveal how aroused she was.

Managing to compose herself, Ayame replied, “I see. It must be very difficult for you to live that way.”

Zero fought the urge to roll his eyes and sarcastically mutter ‘no duh.’ Instead, he settled for a slightly nicer response. “I guess... not like I have a choice.”

“So,” she began to change the subject, keeping her word to stick to the particular topic, “How many vampires have you killed? I’d bet it’s a lot.” Her tone was overly optimistic and as casually as she could, Ayame ‘innocently’ pulled her hair to one side, revealing the smooth, creamy skin of her neck and leaned forward as if eager to hear his response. She hoped to get a reaction out of him by exposing skin. Nothing had worked so far… And she didn't see the harm in teasing.

Zero’s whole body visibly tensed at the gesture. Before redness began to seep into his eyes, he forced himself to turn away. Why would she do that after what he had just told her?! Was she really that ignorant or just stupid?

His breathing picked up, the burning in his throat increased, and his heart pounded hard against his chest like a wild animal trying to break free from its cage. He was trembling as he struggled to get himself under control.

Ayame smiled inwardly. It worked; He wanted her. Maybe not sexually like she wanted him, but she had gotten a reaction like she had hoped. Butterflies whirled around her stomach and she was dying with anticipation. But she was soon disappointed when after only a short moment, he seemed to be back to normal again.

“I don’t keep track,” he answered, but there was still a small, almost undetectable hint of huskiness lingering in his voice.

“Well, I do.” Brushing off her slight disappointment, she continued to make conversation, “In fact, I keep a tally in the back of the notebook that I gave you, along with some of my family’s vampire hunting techniques and some other stuff. Here, I can show you.” As Ayame picked up the notebook that had been abandoned carelessly on the nightstand, she started to flip through the pages when an idea suddenly struck her. She tried to conceal the small smile that appeared on her lips.

As she flipped a page of the notebook, she made sure that the edge of the paper ran across her finger just right, slicing it open. “Ouch!” She cried out, grumbling and cursing in forced aggravation, “Damn, I got a paper cut.” Blood welled up on her fingertip. Ayame paused a moment before looking up at him. “Do you want the blood? There’s no sense in letting it go to waste,” she said with false concern, holding her wounded finger out to him.

Zero froze, partially because of the tempting offer and partially at the blood slowly sliding down the length of her finger that he couldn't tear his eyes away from. His lavender eyes flooded crimson, symptoms returning tenfold. Trying to act quickly, Zero pulled open the drawer of his nightstand and fumbled around in it for the blood tablets that were kept there.

Ayame was a little startled at the sight of Zero's eyes changing colors. She had witnessed the change in other vampires before, however it felt different somehow since it was Zero. Pushing the thought aside, she vaguely wondered what he was looking for in his drawer.

Suddenly, Zero stopped his frantic rummaging when he noticed something strange; Ayame’s blood had a certain… scent to it that disturbed him and definitely caught his attention. It was the smell of strong longing… desire… lust. He knew what the scent was because he had tasted and smelled something similar to it before. Only before, it was in Yuki’s blood.

Then realization hit him. Ayame was a vampire hunter; there was no way she could unintentionally be so ignorant and careless around a vampire. She didn't bare her neck to a vampire by chance… or cut her finger and offer her blood to him on accident. She wasn’t as ditzy as she would lead people on to believe. She had been intentionally trying to tempt him... manipulate him. She wanted him to bite her. He definitely didn't find her motives cute or funny, to say the least. It was cruel… disrespectful… revolting.

Luckily, Zero’s anger was enough to overpower his thirst and distracted him from the blood, at least for the moment. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?!” He yelled at her.

Ayame’s heart skipped a beat at his sudden harshness. She hadn't intended to make him angry with her. She blinked stupidly at him, deciding to play dumb. “Nothing,” she replied. “What are you talking about?”

“You know exactly what I’m talking about,” He insisted knowingly.

The callousness in his words stung. She averted her gaze and said nothing. She was too afraid to deny her motives. Her silence was enough to prove her guilt.

“Get out.” He demanded.

Her heart heavy with regret, Ayame set the notebook back on his nightstand and quietly left.

As soon as she was out of sight, he breathed a sigh of relief. Returning to the drawer of his nightstand, he pulled out the small tin of blood tablets and hurriedly swallowed a few, desperate for the minimal relief they provided.

It sickened him to admit it, but at the moment… he would do anything for real blood; perhaps even kill. Grabbing Bloody Rose from where it had been left on the floor, he clutched it tightly in his lap as he sat hunched over on the edge of his bed. If he thought he couldn't control himself any longer… He would have to use the Bloody Rose on himself. His hand moved to the blanket on the bed and fisted it desperately.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Relax, Ayame is only here to cause tension between Zero and Yuuki. They're my real focus, I promise. Please leave a review or kudos if you're feeling charitable. I appreciate them very much :)
> 
> On another note, Noragami, Vampire Knight, and Angels of Death are my favorite anime at the moment. I highly recommend watching them if you haven't already. And feel free to also check out my Angels of Death fics! (I haven't written any Noragami stuff as of right now.)


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I mainly threw Ayame into this story just to give Yuki some competition and so she has a reason to feel jealous. Even though I've had reviews about how much they like Ayame, unfortunately Zero won't really develop any feelings for her beyond that of respected-but-annoying-co-worker-friend-that's-had-my-back-a-few-times. In the anime, Kaname continuously has women falling over him and I just thought it was time that Zero got some of that same attention. Zero pretty much got no female attention like that except from Yuki who still apparently liked Kaname more than him. Just wanted to put that out there.

Yuki sat quietly at the window seat and stared longingly out of the glass, fingering the crimson rose that had been left at her bedside when she had woke. The sun was just going down. It was strange, sleeping during the day and waking at dusk. Every night she would find a rose left for her by Kaname. It was such a sweet and romantic gesture. It warmed her heart and helped to keep the loneliness away. The beginning of every night was usually very quiet and still, much like this one, while she anticipated Kaname’s return from... wherever it was that he went during the day. She couldn't help but wonder if he ever slept at all.  
   
After she and Kaname had left everything behind, they had returned to their family estate that they had lived in as children. She didn’t mind it there, but she felt small and out of place in such a big, extravagant home. It was definitely an adjustment from her tiny dorm room and living with the headmaster, attending Cross Academy.  
   
Kaname really hadn't been around much and only for the later part of the night would he return to be with her before leaving again. He never told her about where he went and what he was doing, but that didn't really bother her as much as it should have. After all, she was used to being left in the dark about things, oblivious as ever. She knew that in Kaname’s mind she was still just a child, too fragile to get involved in things she may not be ready to handle. Besides, she just assumed he was busy with all of his pureblood responsibilities and such.  
   
However, if she was completely honest, it wasn't just the house being too big or missing Cross Academy that was bothering her. The main cause for her distress was that for some reason, she still felt so… different, and distant from Kaname and the other vampire occupants of the house. She thought that she might get over that feeling eventually. After all, she and Kaname were both pureblood vampires now. Surely she had much more in common with him than before; they were the same now. Yet, after all this time, she still didn't quite feel like a vampire. She supposed it was because she had spent the majority of her life believing that she was human, but no matter the reason, she couldn't remember another time in her life when she had felt this alone and secluded... out of place.  
   
The years’ passing since they had left Cross Academy seemed like decades to her. She missed the headmaster and her friends. She missed the way things used to be in general… Back then, she had been so carefree, just a normal human girl. Never would she have ever guessed that she would end up where she was now… She was a powerful and influential pureblood princess now. And not even she fully understood the extent of her new status and abilities.  
   
Yuki peered down at the rose in her hands and then back outside, awaiting Kaname’s return. A few droplets of rain began to hit the cold glass of the window before rolling down. It looked as if it were about to storm.  
 

* * *

  
  
The thunder rumbled menacingly and dark, treacherous clouds flashed, rain pouring violently from the livid heavens.  
  
It was dark when Zero reached his destination, a modest house located in a secluded area of town. A Level E vampire was somewhere inside and he was there to kill it. He wasn’t provided with many details, other than this particular Level E had a routine; it would move from house to house, hiding out and feeding on its inhabitants one by one before moving on to its next victims. If the vampire wasn't taken care of, it would continue to kill, much like a serial killer. The vampire landed itself on the list and needed to be exterminated immediately. Apparently the last hunter assigned to the job had paid with his life, which was probably why it got handed over to Zero. The Association always left the most dangerous assignments for him to take care of.  
  
 Zero pulled his gun and cautiously approached the house, taking the porch stairs two at a time and trying to make as little noise as possible. He opened the front door with one hand, Bloody Rose ready in the other. Zero could already smell the blood and the putrid stench of rotting corpses as he entered the dark house.   
  
There was no one in the foyer and none of the lights were on, but a flickering glow could be seen reflecting on the wall from the top of the staircase to his right. He made his way to the stairs and began to ascend them, careful not to alert his prey of his presence. With every step he took, the thick, metallic scent of blood and rotting grew stronger, he mentally prepared himself for the gruesome scene that might await him.   
  
When he made it to the doorway that was emitting the light, the hunter took cover in the dim, shadowy recess beside the entry, pressing his back to the wall and listening for any sound or movement coming from the room. But there was none; only dead silence met his ears.   
  
After a moment, Zero decided to peer into the room and instantly regretted it. Three shriveled bodies were sprawled out on the floor; a mother, a father, and a small little girl’s body. Their faces were sunken and deathly white, their eyes vacant, glazed and bulging. Even their pet dog had been completely sucked dry, its head completely detached from its body. Thick, crimson liquid soaked the carpet in large puddles and splatters of it stained the walls and furniture. The dancing light of the fuzzy TV eerily illuminated the ghastly scene in a very disturbing way.  
  
Zero flinched away from the scene and back into the darkness. Nausea overwhelmed him, and he covered his mouth with his arm to muffle his gagging and in attempt to keep himself from vomiting.   
  
It was reasons such as this that he hated vampires so much. They were cruel, cold, and heartless. So many of them were willing to ruthlessly slaughter innocent people and families, even helpless children just to satisfy their sick, selfish thirsts. There were other ways for a vampire to survive without the need to kill humans, but most of them didn't care. Human life meant nothing to them. Of course, Level Es were the worst; they were incapable of caring about anything but their next meal.  
  
Regaining his composure to the best of his ability, Zero readied his gun once more. The Level E hadn't been in the room, which meant he had to be on guard. The crazed creature could be anywhere and could possibly be aware of his presence by now.   
  
Zero began to search the rest of the house. As he cautiously approached the next doorway, slight shuffling and rustling sounds could be heard from the darkness at the end of the hallway. Zero took one step toward the shadows and suddenly a figure burst from the darkness and knocked him to the ground. The creature snapped at him with its fangs and swiped at him with its claws, snarling and crazed. Struggling to hold it back, one of its clawed hands swiped the side of Zero’s face, leaving deep gashes across his cheek.   
  
Crying out in pain, Zero mustered what little energy he had and thrust the vampire off of him. He scrambled to reach his gun which he had lost some point between being knocked off his feet and the struggle.   
  
Recovering from Zero’s attack, the Level E jumped on him once more, its hair waving around wildly as it thrashed about and whaled on him. Struggling to hold the creature back, Zero pressed the cold metal of his gun into the monster’s stomach and before it could react, he pulled the trigger.  
 

* * *

  
   
Yuki’s forehead rested against the cool glass of the window, her eyes closed and her breathing heavy and even.  
   
Kaname smiled fondly at the sight of her. She had fallen asleep waiting for him… He silently approached her and ran his cold fingers along her neck, effectively waking her. Her eyes slowly drifted open.  
   
“K-Kaname,” she blinked in surprise. She sat up and quickly flung herself into his awaiting embrace. “I missed you.” Her eyes and cheeks turned a bit red. She was… really thirsty. “Um,” she started, a bit flustered. She felt Kaname’s reassuring hand on her back.  
   
“Go on, Yuki,” his smooth voice encouraged.  
   
She felt her fangs lengthen, her mouth watering for the taste of blood. The feeling was still so strange to her… Regardless, her instincts had taken over and she found herself about to sink her fangs into his flesh. Suddenly alarmed at her actions, she forced herself to pull away, turning away shyly. “I-I’m sorry Kaname.”  
   
“There’s no need to apologize, Yuki,” he told her, cupping her chin and lightly running his thumb over her smiling lips. Her cheeks were cutely flushed a light pink. “When you are ready, you can take as much of my blood as you desire.” Kaname tenderly grasped her hand, leading her away from the window, “Come, I wish to spend time with my precious girl. I’m afraid that I don’t have long, but there is something that I wish to show you.”  
   
The two of them chatted a bit and Yuuki got carried away talking about her day, absently allowing herself to be lead down the winding halls. Interupting her rantings, Kaname abruptly stopped and she soon noticed herself in front of two crimson towering double doors. Her heart sped up in anticipation. What could possibly be on the other side? As if the doors themselves weren’t intimidating enough, her breath immediately caught in her throat when Kaname thrust them open…  
   
An impossibly colossal and vast room was revealed, with table clothed tables for seating along each side of the walls. One table in particular stood out as it was somewhat bigger and secluded from the others and decorated significantly fancier. In the corner sat a piano, a place for ballroom music to be performed. Elegant crystal, candle lit chandeliers hung from the soaring ceiling. Oversized windows with blood red drapery lined most of the off-white walls, which were detailed with white and gold, slightly gothic-styled crown moldings. And the polished, patterned floors sparkled and shined like none Yuki had ever seen.  
   
Across the seemingly endless room were large French doors leading out to the lush gardens and on either side, were two slightly curved grand staircases with red carpet and golden railings, which created a second story balcony along the edge of the walls and French doors with access to multiple outdoor terraces overlooking the exquisite gardens below.  
   
“Well,” Kaname prompted, “Do you like it?”  
   
Yuki managed to pry her eyes from the many lovely things surrounding her and assaulting her senses to look upon Kaname. Speechless, she nodded, unable to hide the beaming smile on her face. “It’s amazing,” she breathed, “How have I never laid eyes upon this room before?” she wondered aloud, her eyes returning to her environment to explore further.  
   
“It’s a ballroom,” he informed, his eyes never leaving her form as she dared venture a bit further into the room. “However, there are two others aside from this one. This one, is reserved for only the most important of occasions.”  
   
“What kind of occasions?” she lightly pondered, still captivated with the many sights to behold around her.  
   
“Well, your 21st birthday would count as one,” he answered nonchalantly, causing Yuki to gasp and spin around in shock. “Invitations have already been sent out,” he further informed.  
   
“Really?!” She gushed, unable to contain her enthusiasm. Until now, Kaname hadn’t given any indication that he remembered her birthday or had any plans for celebrating it. He was absent a lot and always busy, so she would've understood if he didn't notice it approaching. Even so, she knew it was silly to think he'd forgotten, seeing as he'd never failed to remember it before.  
   
“Of course, your birthday is merely two weeks away. I wish to have this room decorated to your liking.”  
   
Yuuki’s heart swelled with gratitude. She had a sudden urge to throw her arms around him, but she restrained herself. She thought it wouldn’t be very mature or ladylike to do such a thing, so she merely blushed instead. “Thank you so much, Kaname. You really didn’t have to,” she said shyly, still smiling ever so sweetly.  
   
“I wanted to.” He stepped forward to cup her smiling face, “I want to see that perfect smile every day, for the rest of our lives.” Before Yuuki could fully grasp his words, Kaname then seemed to change the subject. “You know what other occasions are held in this room, Yuuki?”  
   
“N-no,” she replied, nervously fidgeting a bit, “what?”  
   
“Weddings.”  
   
Yuuki’s smile faltered as he knelt down in front of her. “There’s nothing I wouldn’t do…” he started, taking her hand in his, “for my precious girl, and my future wife.” He slipped an engagement ring on the appropriate finger, “I love you very much, Yuuki. You are a blinding light in such overwhelming darkness. I wish you by my side forever, so that I may never lose my way.”  
   
Yuuki’s heart pounded loudly in her ears. Everything seemed to stop. Silent, she slowly pulled her hand from his and brought it closer to her face, staring at the stunning piece of jewelry. She gazed wide-eyed in complete shock, tears slowing building in her eyes. ‘Is… Is this really happening?’ she thought, a bit dazed. ‘He’s… proposing?’  
   
“I want you to marry me, Yuuki… if you will have me.” He said, almost as if reading her mind.  
   
Yuuki couldn’t find words to say. She felt faint… and almost sick. It was so sudden, and… tears spilled over and ran down her face now. She frantically moved to wipe them, but he stood and stopped her.  
   
Kaname’s expression remained the same as he wiped her tears away for her. He expected this kind of reaction. He knew his Yuki so well.

Just then, Seiren appeared in the corridor, silently requesting his attention. His eyes met hers in acknowledgement and she soon disappeared again.

He returned his undivided attention to the sniffling mess of a girl in his arms. “You may have some time to think about it. I understand it is a big step, and it must feel a bit overwhelming right now.” He inhaled deeply, as if with a heavy heart. “Unfortunately, I must go soon. May I escort you back to your room?"

She sniffed again and nodded, trying to get herself under control again. He offered his arm for her to lock with hers. They leisurely made their way through the halls and corridors until they were standing in front of her sleeping quarters.

When they arrived, he slowly pulled away to faced her, his hand lingering on hers. "I bid you goodnight, Yuuki." He paused before leaving and leaned in to press a kiss to her forehead. “Take as much time as you need.” And with that he was gone, leaving Yuuki to stare after him in shock.

 

* * *

  
   
Zero had just made it home. Relieved to be back to his quiet apartment, he wiped the dried blood from his cheek, the scratch marks on his face from earlier already completely healed. With a heavy breath, Zero shrugged off his wet jacket and let it slid to the floor as he entered and carelessly nudged the door shut behind him with his foot before removing his shoes.   
  
He had taken care of the Level E quickly and with minimal complications, considering. He was lucky to have come back virtually unscathed. His strength and endurance had been suffering for his malnourishment. Lately, even the smallest amount of strenuous activity took too much energy. Drained from his recent mission, he felt as if his legs could give out any moment.  
  
The rain continued to pour from the dark heavens and the soft pitter-patter of rain filled the dim, lonely room. As Zero went to lay down on his mattress, he noticed his foot brush against something. Retrieving the object, he discovered that it was the crumpled picture of Yuuki that he’d failed to properly discard. Zero laid solemnly on his bed, the only sound breaking the night’s silence was the sound of the rain colliding with the glass of the windows. Hesitantly, unsure of what was motivating his actions, he slowly opened the wadded picture, straightening it out to the best of his ability. His eyes regarded her face carefully… guarded, as to not recall any fondness at the sight of her image.  
  
He dared to wonder what she was doing right now. He still thought about her, especially on cold lonely nights like this one… despite the inevitable pain in his chest in doing so. Even if he somehow managed to let the rain lull him to sleep, her memory never failed to invade his dreams. That seemed to be all she was now… just a dream.  
  
Memories flooded back to him… Zero shut his eyes trying to block them out. Visions of kind smiles, of pouts and blushes, and playful teasing overwhelmed him.  
   
_Zero walked the hall of Cross Academy alone, when he heard quick footsteps coming up behind him. “Zeeee-ro!” he heard Yuki say before he could turn. She smacked him hard against his back, knocking the air out of him and causing him to double over with a grunt. Recovering from her assault, he listened to her nag at him, going on about how she worked hard to patrol all by herself for a week... And that it was his turn._    
   
_Though she hadn't known it, he had been locked away in the dungeons of the Academy, about to lose his sanity. That was when he would have originally fallen to Level E, if it had not been for Kaname’s blood that prolonged his life. He had just returned to his schooling and duties when she approached him._  
   
_He was about the insult her, but then she pulled her hair to the side, “Come on now… Aren’t you craving it?”_    
   
Jolting back to reality, Zero’s eyes had turned crimson and he doubled over in pain. He went into the kitchen and filled a glass of water to take a few blood tablets. He struggled to swallow them, leaning over the sink to be sure they would stay down.  
   
He collapsed onto his couch moments later, his body feeling heavy. Zero never thought he’d miss the way Yuuki always scolded him for ‘skipping duties.’ Soon he found himself daydreaming again of her short, shiny brown hair and soft skin, and the innocent giggles of a small, fragile girl that he would never see the same way ever again.  
  
The girl that he remembered had been pure and untainted, childishly naive, sweet and kind... and human. She would never be the same, and it killed him inside to see her as a vampire, turned into the one thing he loathed more than anything else in the world. She was never supposed to be like him; she was never supposed to be a vampire. She was… supposed to stay the same innocent mortal girl that he remembered… That’s how he would always remember her.  
   
Hours passed and Zero had dozed off only briefly when he heard movement in front of his apartment door. He readied his gun but relaxed when a yellow envelope packet was thrust through the mail slot and onto the floor.  
   
Sighing, he got up and retrieved it and tossed it down carelessly on the coffee table. He knew right away that it was a new hunter’s assignment; Orders from the Association always came in the same yellow envelope. He'd only just returned from his last mission and they were already giving him another. 'No rest for the weary,' he thought wryly. He sat down on the sofa staring at it for a moment before snatching up the envelope and prying the package open. Removing the informational paperwork, he tossed the packaging to the side. He scanned over the papers and his jaw tightened as he read.  
   
In two weeks, he was assigned to attend a ball… at the Kuran manor.  
 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I changed up the scene where Kaname proposes. I wrote this story like a million years ago and I'd like to think that I'm a slightly better writer now... Anyway, I re-read it after a gazillion years and realized it felt very abrupt and I can't see Kaname proposing and then immediately leaving. So, I at least had him walk her back to her room afterwards. And I added the brief appearance of Seiren to hopefully make it more believable? I guess was trying to emphasize that Kaname had been super busy and distracted but I did it very horribly. I don't know if this is much improvement, but constructive suggestions are always welcome. Let me know how I can improve :)


	3. Chapter 3

Yuki woke in the soft cushion of her bed with a groan. She hadn’t slept well, as she had the previous night’s events still on the mind. Kaname had proposed… And her birthday was coming up. She would no doubt soon be bombarded with questions and decisions about her engagement and the decorating of the ballroom.  
   
She sighed heavily, turning over for what must have been the millionth time. Hesitantly, she pulled her right hand out from behind her pillow to admire the stunning, glittering piece of jewelry adorning her ring finger, though it was not on the appropriate hand. It had to have been the most breath-taking ring she had ever laid eyes on and yet, she still had mixed feelings about wearing it. She wore the ring, as if to get used to the idea of marrying Kaname, but she just couldn’t bring herself to wear it on the finger it was meant for. Sure, she had always childishly fantasized about marrying Kaname in the past, but… this was different. Those were merely her foolish and naïve girly fantasies; this was real and serious and… It was frightening. She felt overwhelmed and there was no escaping it.  
   
Unable to sleep, she laid awake in bed through the rest of the day, staring at the ring as is glistened in the small tendrils of sunlight that managed to peek through the curtains and into her dark bedroom.  
 

* * *

  
   
Daylight already fading back into night, the sun painted the sky in deep, vivid shades of red, yellow and orange on the horizon. Another day coming to an end… Zero shrugged a trench coat on over his clothes, grabbed his gun and headed out the door.  
   
With long fast strides, he started down the hallway, eager to relieve some of the pent up frustration that he felt. He was almost to the building’s exit when he heard a female voice call to him.  
   
“Hey, Zero!” Ayame rushed to approach him, “wait for me!”  
   
Zero sighed somewhat in irritation. He stopped anyway and let her catch up to him. She was dressed in a hunter uniform, her long anti-vampire daggers displayed proudly at either side of her hips. He mentally scolded himself for not being more cautious. He’d been actively avoiding her ever since the paper cut incident.  
   
Ayame quickly caught up to him. “Zero, where are you going? Are you going out to hunt?” the girl asked eagerly. “Please, please, please let me come with you,” she pleaded, “I could really use the experience, and I promise not to get in the way.” She folded her hands together and held them to her chest dramatically, making the most convincing pouty face she could manage. But she knew it was no use…  
   
“No thanks, I don’t need your help,” he replied simply, moving to walk around her. He wondered how she could be so casual. He had yelled at her just the other day and threw her out of his apartment, and yet, here she was only a couple days later acting completely innocent and oblivious like it had never happened.  
   
The thought briefly occurred to him that perhaps her attempt to get him to bite her wasn't the only reason he was so angry at Ayame. Perhaps it was also because seeing the small stream of blood slowly roll down her finger… reminded him of a certain incident with someone else that he would rather not think about.  
   
A small, sweet voice rang in his ears as a sudden memory flooded back to him.  _Yuki held her pricked finger out to Zero, a stream of blood rolling down it, ‘here, lick it.’_   Zero quickly pushed the involuntary recollection away.  
   
Ayame was beautiful. And it was obvious that she admired him for some bizarre reason, but she seemed to have other intentions. One thing Zero was sure of, she was definitely not as innocent as she appeared. She was manipulative and conceited underneath her child-like facade, always getting what she wanted. Whatever she wanted from him, he didn't care. But he refused to let her use him for her own selfish wants or become her cute little pet vampire like she already seemed to think he was. Even so, regardless of her personality flaws, she was still surprisingly smart and a very skilled, promising hunter and he at least somewhat respected her for it.  
   
Ayame sighed in discouragement as well as disappointment. A tinge of sadness welled up in her chest, but she ignored it and caught up with him again. "Here, at least take this." Zero grudgingly stopped again, and Ayame held out one of her daggers, "It's for good luck."  
   
He sighed, reluctantly accepting the weapon, solely so that she would leave him alone. Zero said nothing and pushed past her.  
   
Ayame called after him, “Zero, you could afford to be a little nicer every once in a while, you know.” She cupped her hands around her mouth to make herself louder, “A ‘thanks’ would be nice!”  
   
Moments later, Zero had reached town. It was a cold, calm night and the streets were virtually empty, aside from a few wanderers. Somewhere in an alley, a muffled cry went unheard.  
   
Not quite satisfied with her kill, the creature dropped the boy’s limp corpse at her feet. She hissed in disappointment and brushed her long blonde tresses aside. He didn't taste nearly as good as he had looked; it was no doubt a turn off. She wanted nothing more to do with him.  
   
She had found him at the small bar just around the corner where she would occasionally hunt for prey. He was sitting quietly by himself at the edge of the bar, looking a little out of place. He had barely even looked old enough to drink. He was an easy target; alone and secluded. She doubted anyone would even miss him. He was just her type; young, solemn, attractive… She found his solitude to be intriguing, seeing as he was handsome for a human, as her victims usually were. The more attractive ones were usually more difficult to find alone, but with her looks and experience and a young male’s raging hormones, it made it unbelievably easy to catch prey, especially when alcohol is involved. After all, humans are naturally attracted to a vampire’s beauty and charm.  
   
Despite that, she had taken her sweet time, simply because she found pleasure in playing with her food… in more ways than one. She had casually approached him and enjoyed gradually flirting her way past his anti-social barrier. However, now that their game of cat and mouse was over and she finally tasted his blood, it hadn't been as rewarding as she had hoped. It really was a shame that she had put so much time into luring him into the alley she was now lurking in. She suspected that the boy must have been mortally ill, which would have explained the slight putrid taste in his blood and his reserved behavior. He was practically half dead already. She was just hopeful that she would have time to make another kill before the bar closed down for the night.  
   
Interrupting her musings, she saw a tall dark figure appear in her peripheral vision, blocking the opening of the alley. As she turned toward him, her crimson eyes met Zero’s.  
   
‘He’s  _perfect_ ,’ she thought. She was well aware that he was a hunter as well as a vampire, but that didn't faze her in the least. She was only hopeful that he tasted better... She had saved plenty of room for dessert.The shapely seductress smiled at him provocatively, a single pale finger beckoning him to come to her.   
  
Zero took a moment to observe the female creature as he discretely slipped his hand into his coat to rest on his concealed weapon. He wasn't vampire hunting on assignment this time, but rather on his own whim. He knew if he wandered the town at night, he was bound to run into a level E. And he'd been right, seeing as he just found one. He gathered that she was a succubus vampire, which meant that she liked to seduce her pray. Judging by her lingering attractive looks and somewhat poised demeanor, he could tell that she was still in the earlier stages of Level E, meaning she still had some intelligence and had not yet completely lost herself, only her morals.  
   
He risked a side-glance over to the young man's body on the ground laying in a puddle of blood. The man was already dead. He'd gotten there a little too late to save him, it seemed. He finally complied and cautiously began to step closer, anticipating her attack. The quicker he could end it, the better. His hand clasped fully around Bloody Rose, ready to draw it but she sprang at him with a high-pitched, bloodcurdling screech. Zero pulled his gun with quick reflexes and pulled the trigger but she dodged and managed to narrowly evade the well-aimed bullets.  
  
When she reached him, her taloned hand swiped angrily at his weapon. Bloody Rose flew from his hand and slid across the hard pavement. He gritted his teeth in pain, bloody streaks stretching across his hand where she'd scratched him. He stared after his gun before he was shoved roughly up against the side of the building, his skull meeting hard with the cold brick. Zero’s ears rang and vision blurred from the impact. He fought to stay conscious, relying on the wall for support.  
   
She now had him confined between herself and the wall, just how she liked her prey- trapped and helpless. She wouldn't be surprised if his head's clash against the wall gave him a concussion. The female vampire took advantage of his impaired state, pressing herself against him and her hands exploring him, as she did with most of her prey.  
   
Brushing his coat aside and slipping her hands under his black shirt while affectionately nipping at his neck, grazing her sharp fangs over the delicate skin. She loved how his body trembled lightly under her cold touch. She was exceptionally attracted to this one, pleasantly pleased with his slender but muscular body. Sharp bursts of pleasure shot through her lower regions and a small, soft, blissful moan escaped her luscious blood red lips. She ached for him, and she would have him.  
   
Her nails then raked across his skin and he groaned weakly. He vaguely felt her breath brush his cheek as she whispered provocatively in his ear, “I’m going to have so much fun with you.” His hazy mind couldn't quite comprehend her words, but he didn't get the chance to dwell on it long before her hands wondered lower, passing over the flesh of his stomach and hips and finally feeling his length through his jeans, the throbbing wetness in her nether regions increasing as she did so.  
   
He gasped at the intrusion, his whole body tensing at the unwelcome contact. His hand caught hers, instantly halting her manipulations. She only smirked and paid him no mind; she would have him. He would eventually stop resisting; they always did.  
   
Pulling her hand away, she took a hold of his hair, her other hand gripping his shoulder to keep him still. First thing first, she had to have a small taste. Her tongue seductively caressed his neck and without hesitation, she sunk her fangs deeply into his flesh, savoring the taste of him. Zero hissed painfully at the sharp, piercing sting of her bite shooting throughout his neck and her nails dug into his shoulder. Instinctively, he pushed her away and instantly regretted it. He cried out in pure agony, as her fangs sunk deeper into his flesh, tearing and stretching the punctures.  
   
The vampiress released him and slowly licked her bloody crimson lips and scolded him for being naughty as she violently shoved him into the building’s hard brick once more before re-biting him, easily able to overpower him in his light-headed and weakened state. He knew he was already losing too much blood. Through blurred vision, he could vaguely see Bloody Rose lying on the pavement across the alley and far out of reach. He was wounded and without his gun, he wouldn't stand a chance. Struggling to think clearly, Zero remembered something.  
   
As the seductress continued to heatedly gorge herself, he managed to pull Ayame’s dagger from its sheath without her noticing. He pressed the point of its blade mercilessly into her stomach and with one swift movement, ran her through. Her fangs released him and her eyes widened, gasping breathlessly as she stumbled and finally slumped against him. He withdrew the weapon, letting her limp body slide to the ground before it evaporated into dust.  
   
Relieved that the deed was done, Zero put the dagger away and gently covered the oozing bite mark on his neck with his hand. It throbbed painfully and blood from the wound had already seeped through his shirt. As he moved to retrieve the Bloody Rose, Zero eyed the human victim’s shriveled body with pity.  
   
Zero buried his nose in the crook of his arm; the smell of blood was starting to get to him, and his eyes had already begun to lace with bloodlust.  
   
‘ _Blood loss can lead to intense hunger.’_  
   
Brushing off the memory of those words echoing in his ears, Zero retrieved his gun and headed back the Association.  
   
Hours later back at the Association, Ayame glanced up at the sky with impatience, the sun was a sliver on the horizon but it was enough to tint the sky in soft hues of pink, yellow, and orange. It was almost morning. She was relieved that her training was over and she would finally be able to sleep, but she wondered why Zero hadn't returned.  
   
She sat on the steps leading up to the Association apartment complex building, waiting anxiously for his return. She yawned and stretched at the thought of a good night‘s rest, but she had wanted to make sure the Zero made it back alright. Despite her worries, working for the Association was exhausting and she was beginning to nod off. All the extra responsibility was tiring and it really took its toll after a while. She needed to head inside or she would surely fall asleep on the stairs.  
   
Ayame stood and began to make her way into the apartment building but stopped as she approached the door. Something caught the corner of her eye. Turning, she could make out a shadowy figure in the distance.  
   
“Zero?” Ayame questioned, hollering across the grounds with uncertainty as she watched the mysterious being stumble across the grass, headed toward the apartment building. Ayame observed for a moment longer before she decided to confirm the figure’s identity. She refused to be responsible for a Level E attack. Besides, the figure seemed to be wounded. If it was Zero, he might need medical attention.  
   
Taking a deep breath to calm her paranoia, she began to make her way to the figure at a leisurely pace. “Zero?” She inquired again, hoping to get a response since she was now well within hearing distance, but there still was none. She still wasn't able to tell who or what exactly the silhouette was.  
   
Suddenly the figure stopped and staggered. Ayame gasped and stopped as well, waiting to see what the dark silhouette would do, drawing her anti-vampire weapon in case whatever it was decided to attack. The shadowy figure then collapsed to the ground and Ayame broke into a run. She froze when she reached her destination, breathing in relief shortly afterward when she discovered that it was Zero and not a Level E or anything dangerous… But then fear hit her again. Zero was definitely wounded… pretty badly, by the look of it.  
   
Ayame dropped to her knees beside him. “Zero, what happened?” She questioned frantically, trying to get any sort of response. She brushed his hair from his face. He looked sickly, as if on the verge of death. His eyes were distant and partially rolled back, his face much more ghastly pale than usual. She noticed the growing blood stain on his shirt and pulled it back to reveal the bite. Ayame gasped, slightly taken aback by the sight. The puncture marks were deep gaping holes, not at all like a normal vampire bite.  
   
“Oh Zero,” she breathed in fear. She then slipped her arm under him and managed to get them both to their feet.  
   
“W-what are you doing?” Zero managed to say. “Where are you taking me?”  
   
“I’m taking you to back to my apartment. You need blood or you‘ll-”  
   
“No!” Zero tried to pull away from her but it proved useless, as she was the stronger of the two at the moment. “Let go of me!”  
   
“Zero!” She cried in shock, “Stop! Calm down!” She struggled to keep a hold of him as he fought against her.  
   
“I don’t want blood, okay?! Just let me lie down and rest…” Trailing off and suddenly feeling extremely light headed from so much exertion, Zero fell limp again and Ayame lowered him to the ground once more. He was so tired and worn out… He had no more energy left to fight her.  
   
Ayame looked at him, concern and some other emotion that he couldn't quite recognize displayed in her pretty features. “Zero, I can’t let you die just because you won’t accept any blood,” tears formed in her deep violet eyes, “I want to help you. Please… I can’t let you…” She trailed off, sobs beginning to overwhelm her.  
   
Feeling a little guilty, Zero looked at her through blurred vision, breathing becoming considerably harder. “I just… I just want to lay down…”  
   
Ayame wiped the moisture from her eyes and sniffed, seeming to be contemplating what to do. Finally, with a heavy sigh, she nodded in agreement. “Okay. I’ll let you rest…” She concluded, “But I’m not leaving until I know you’re going to be alright.”  
   
With that, she picked him back up and they struggled to make it back to Zero’s apartment.  
   
When they reach their destination, Ayame helped Zero take off his jacket and relieved him of his weapons, noticing that the dagger that she lent him was covered in blood. She felt a hint of satisfaction to know he actually used it. She helped him to get to his bed, neither of them had said anything. Ayame’s mind was racing, worrying and wondering what to do while Zero on the other hand was too worn out and dazed to think at all.  
   
Once situated, Zero breathed in relief and exhaustion. He was just grateful he would finally be able to relax. He really just wished to be alone more than anything…  
   
As they sat in continued silence, Ayame took in his battered form and observed his ragged breathing. After a moment, she put her hand to his forehead and gasped, quickly removing it as if she had been burned. He was extremely hot. “Zero, take off your shirt.”  
   
It took a moment for Zero to comprehend her words, “W-what?”  
   
“You heard me, take off your shirt.” She sighed and decided she would have to explain at the odd look he gave her, “You’re running a fever; taking off your shirt would help you to cool off. And I need to check you over for other wounds.”  
   
Hesitating only briefly, Zero worked up the strength to sit back up and slip his shirt off over his head, with Ayame’s assistance. He slumped back down into the mattress once the garment was removed.  
   
Ayame’s breath caught in her throat. Zero had scratches all over his body; some of them were deep and bleeding as well. “My God,” she started, “What the hell happened to you, Zero?”  
   
“I was caught off guard, is all,” he breathed lightly, “Trust me, it won’t happen again.”  
   
Ayame ran her hand through her hair and sighed. It was a miracle he even made it back. He had lost too much blood… blood that he couldn't afford to lose in the first place. He needed to feed or he would die. He was making it so much more difficult than it had to be. She has more than ready and willing to help him, if only he would let her.  
   
Reluctantly, Ayame left his side to get a wet rag and to search for bandages.  
   
Zero’s eyes grew distant and began to roll back once more. He was so tired; He felt like he could sleep forever.  
   
“Zero,” Ayame said with concern and a hint of alarm when she had returned, unsuccessfully trying to keep him conscious. She sighed heavily, putting aside the bandages and wet rag. She knew what she had to do, her mind was made up. “Please don’t hate me,” Ayame muttered as she carefully positioned herself beside him. She then withdrew the other blade that she wore on her hip. “This is for your own good,” she whispered to him softly, bringing the blade to her palm and applying slight pressure until she felt the tingle of liquid rolling down her wrist.  
   
When Zero didn’t respond to the smell of blood, Ayame knew it was a bad sign. Leaning forward, she moved her bleeding hand over him to let the blood drip into his mouth and a single drop of crimson fell on his lips.  
   
Zero stirred only slightly at first and then the smell of blood registered in his foggy mind. His eyes opened and instantly seeped crimson, a fierce animalistic tinge taking over his gaze. He seized her with lightening reflexes, pulling her to him and sinking his fangs deeply into her neck and taking her blood greedily.  
   
She was taken off guard only for a moment, gasping at the initial pain and his sudden brutality. But then another sound escaped her lips in pleasure. She had never seen this side of him before. Even if she knew it was there, it was very different actually witnessing it... Becoming his victim… Her heart beat hard against her chest. She felt his firm half-naked body beneath her, his vise grip dominating her and holding her to him. She could feel his mouth sucking and lapping at her neck and his tongue passing over her skin, making her whole body feel tingly. She could feel the heat rising in the pit of her stomach. She noticed how the bare skin of his shoulder felt under one of her hands while the other had a hand-full of his silvery locks.  
   
It was… everything she had imagined it would be. She wished it would never end, but to her dismay, Zero fed on her for only a few short moments. Once his mind began properly functioning again, he instantly released her, virtually pushing her away from him. Her blood stained his lips and he was lightly panting. He wiped the blood from his mouth.  
   
Dread filled Ayame’s heart at what was to come next as she sat before him. She bowed her head and folded her hands in her lap, anticipating his reaction. When there was only silence, she worked up the courage to glance up at him and just as she had feared, Zero’s expression was angry. But she didn’t regret what she did in the least… She had no choice. She couldn’t have let him die…  
   
Abruptly interrupting her train of thought, Zero took Ayame’s bleeding hand into his and gently wiped away the blood with his bloodied shirt that she had helped him take off. He then proceeded to wipe the remaining blood from the bite on her neck, remaining silent.  
   
Ayame was shocked; that certainly wasn’t the response that she had expected. Witnessing such a sweet and tender gesture from Zero amazed her and warmed her heart, even if he did look incredibly angry as he did so. She realized that such a gesture coming from him must have been a rare one.  
   
Zero didn’t say anything, but on the inside he was seething. She had done exactly what he told her not to. He hated himself for losing control and behaving like… well, a vampire… but he was also angry with her for provoking it.  
   
On the other hand, she had saved him and for that, he couldn’t help but feel grateful. But, he also couldn’t help but think she should have just let him die. That was the reason he remained silent. He knew he wouldn’t be able to refrain from yelling at her if he didn’t keep his mouth shut, and despite the certain taste in her blood that lingered on his tongue, there was no pain… no burning in his throat. It had been so long since he felt so… content. He was still thirsty, of course. But compared to how he’d been feeling, he felt considerably better, although he was still very tired and drained.  
   
Perhaps he could work up the incentive to thank her later… But then again, the last thing he wanted to do was encourage her to do anything like that again.  
 


	4. Chapter 4

The sun was nearly half way up over the horizon. The Kuran dining table was filled with vampires, full from having finished a late meal, due to Kaname’s tardiness. But now that everyone was finished, only awkwardly prolonged small talk filled the air.  
   
Yuki yawned, stretching her arms over her head, savoring how good it felt to extend her muscles. “Ahh,” she moaned in pleasure. “I think I’m gonna head in for the ni-erm… day,” she informed, standing from her seat and excusing herself, picking up her plate to carry to the kitchen. They had maids for cleaning up, but Yuki always felt better cleaning up after herself rather than making someone else wait on her. She washed her dishes and headed for the stairway, Kaname approaching from behind.  
   
“Let me accompany you.” His voice was close to her ear and gave her chills as his arm snaked around her waist as they ascended the stairs.  
   
They finally approached Yuki’s room and they both stopped and turned to one another, Yuki tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear shyly. Kaname pulled her to him and held her tightly to his chest for a few moments.  
   
Slowly pulling away from Kaname, Yuki began to fidget. “I um, I think I’m going to sleep now.”  
   
“Alright,” Kaname kissed her forehead gently. “Sleep well, Yuki,” he said softly, his voice caressing her ear like silk. Goosebumps rose on the back of her neck, her cheeks heating up involuntarily.  
   
“I-I will,” she managed to reply, then still standing there awkwardly for a short moment. She was working up all the courage she possessed, she could feel her heart beating fast at what she was about to do. She reached up on her tip toes, her arms wrapping around his neck and gently urging him lower so that she could place a small peck on his lips, but when she went to pull away, he held her there. Yuki froze, her heart about to explode in her chest it was beating so hard.  
   
When he allowed her to pull away, she felt the solid urge to dash to her bedroom. But she resisted, trying to act more rational about it. She stood quietly, her head bowed. “I… I still don’t have an answer for you Kaname,” she admitted, “I’m sorry.”  
   
He leaned in and pecked her on the forehead. “Take your time. Goodnight, Yuki. Sleep well. We have a big day tomorrow.”  
   
   
Kaname had disappeared down the hallway and Yuki retreated to her bedroom, changing into her pjs before crawling into bed. Yuki laid there under her blankets, fidgeting with the sparkly piece of jewelry on her finger, deep in thought.  
   
Tomorrow was her birthday. She was relieved that most of the planning and decorating was over with. She couldn’t stop thinking about the ball and what other plans Kaname might have in store for her tomorrow. She felt silly to have ever thought he wouldn’t remember her birthday... Kaname really was the husband type, she supposed. He would spoil her and take care her, she knew. He seemed to really love her. And she really loved him. So then, what was the problem? She couldn’t pinpoint what they were doing wrong… There was something missing. She didn’t understand why the thought of marrying Kaname make her heart ache with dread and anxiety…  
   
With so much on her mind, Yuki doubted her tired mind would be able to drift into slumber.  
 

* * *

  
   
Yuki woke, having nearly just dozed off. Groaning, she sat with a yawn.  
   
“Good morning.”  
   
Yuki gasped, not realizing Kaname had been sitting in the chair beside her bed. “K-Kaname.” Recovering from her initial surprise, she managed a sleepy smile. Her long tresses were a tangled mess, she knew. “I didn’t know you were there,” she said a bit nervously.  
   
He silently stood, presenting her with two boxes, wrapped up as gifts. One was large and the other fairly small.  
   
“What’s this?” she blinked wide-eyed, still sitting up in her bed.  
   
“Have you forgotten already?” he asked, a bit teasingly. “It is your birthday today, remember?”  
   
A light blush stained her cheeks. “Are these for me?”  
   
He nodded and she up beamed excitedly before pulling away the wrapping and peeking inside the box. Yuki’s breathe caught in her throat. “Wow,” she breathed in awe. She pulled the contents out of the box. It was a crimson corseted gown with black lace and black ruffles on the skirt; obviously very expensive, with black shoes to match.  
   
“I was hoping you might wear it to your party tonight,” Kaname suggested.  
   
Yuki nodded enthusiastically. She couldn’t wait to try it on.  
   
“Go on, open the other,” he urged.  
She obliged, opening the other box. It was a pearl necklace and matching earrings. Once again, she was breathless. She fingered the jewelry gently, as if afraid to damage it. The necklace was a black choker with a dangling teardrop-shaped pearl. “I love it, Kaname. Thank you so much.”  
   
“I’m glad you like them.”  
   
Yuki smiled fondly down at her gifts.  
   
After a moment, there was a knock at the door and Kaname placed a kiss on her forehead. “I shall leave you to get ready. I’ll check on you again later.” Yuki nodded.  
   
Kaname excused himself, Seiren just outside the door waiting for him.  
   
“I have an update for you, Master Kaname.”  
   
He nodded and they both headed down the hall to his private quarters to discuss it further.  
 

* * *

  
   
About another hour later, the party was finally starting, as numerous guests pulled up one after another in their most stunning attire. They got out of their limos and expensive vehicles right in front of the door and walked inside as if they were celebrities, while the valet took care of the parking.  
   
Waiters walked around with trays of fancy h’orderves and alcoholic beverages as the guests mingled. The huge ballroom was beginning to become a bit cramped.  
   
Meanwhile, Yuki sat at her vanity, the servant finishing up her hair and makeup for her party. “..one last pin…” she mused, “There. Perfect.” She declared with a smile. Without much energy, Yuki managed a weak smile in return. Kaname knocked and then entered.  
   
The servant was just finishing up, putting on Yuki’s earrings. Kaname silently took the necklace from the servant before she had the chance to put it on Yuki. When she finally understood that she was no longer needed, she bowed before excusing herself to allow them to be alone.  
   
Kaname came up behind Yuki, and she watched him through the vanity mirror as he fastened the pearl choker around her neck. He was so close that she could feel his breath on her skin as he did so.  
   
As he leaned over her shoulder, his eyes lifted to her reflection and they looked at each other through the mirror. “You look beautiful,” he murmured in her ear, sending shivers down her spine. “Are you ready to go?”  
   
She nodded despite herself, managing another tired smile. She stood, and allowed him to lead her down to the ball where the guests were waiting for her.  
 

* * *

  
   
The large ballroom was much too crowded for Zero’s comfort. Having so many vampires in one place was incredibly unsettling. Elaborate ball gowns surrounded him, twirling as the vampires danced all around him. He could think of at least a million other places he’d rather be, but he was regrettably standing in the bowels of the Kuran manor by orders of The Association.  
   
Given his history with the purebloods, he didn’t understand why they couldn’t have found someone else to send. Here he was, playing security guard for a party both humans and vampires were attending, to monitor and make sure everyone stayed safe. Considering that he wanted to kill the Kurans, he found it a bit ironic they put him in charge of their safety.  
   
Zero shifted his weight uncomfortably against the doorway that he was leaning on, his arms folded across his chest and a scowl upon his handsome face. So many sounds flooded his ears; the clinking of dishes, high-pitched giggling and the sound of heels against the dance floor. His calculating lilac eyes glanced watchfully over the room, watching the elegant-looking creatures laughing and chatting and dancing as if they weren’t blood-sucking beasts. It made him sick just to watch them, casually mingling with helplessly ignorant humans. Thankfully, he hadn’t come across Yuki yet. There was so many people, the huge room was crowded. Maybe he could get through the night without having to see her.  
 

* * *

  
   
From the moment Yuki entered her own party, she was overwhelmed. It was stuffy and crowded. So many people wished her a happy birthday, bowing with respect. It was all so strange to her. She wondered where Kaname had gone. He had been there one minute, his arm locked around hers, and then he was gone the next. She assumed that he must have gotten bombarded with marriage offers, seeing as the possibility of their marriage hadn’t been made public yet, and also other business deals like he usually did at these events.  
   
A light breeze caressed her skin, drawing her attention to the French doors, propped open as an open invitation to the gardens. The first chance she got, Yuki ascended the staircase and snuck away to the balcony to get some air and hopefully a moment alone. She had originally thought no one was out there, but she bumped into a beautiful black-haired woman leaving the terrace as she was entering.  
   
The girl with long raven hair bowed, but a scowl appeared on her face and her violet eyes glared at Yuki. The stranger then pushed past her, nudging Yuki’s shoulder as she rejoined the rest of the guests inside the ballroom. Staring after the strange, rude woman, Yuki noticed the anti-vampire weapons at her sides. She was… a vampire hunter? Yuki watched the girl keep to the edge of the crowd and travel along the wall to stand beside a man.  
   
Yuki’s heart froze.  
   
Zero stood leaning against the wall, his arms folded across his chest. She couldn’t make out much from the distance, but there was no mistaking his silvery hair and she could tell that there was an angry look on his face. He looked like he didn’t want to be there… Yuki saw the woman move to join him, standing beside him. They exchanged words and the girl giggled at something Zero had said. So… the woman was with Zero? Yuki’s chest suddenly felt tight and constricted. She didn’t feel well all of a sudden…  
   
Yuki fled from her party, weaving in and out of guests before dashing out of the ballroom and down the halls. Reaching her bedroom, she sat down on the edge of her bed, urging herself to calm down and forcing back tears. Her cheeks were flushed and her heart pounded painfully in her chest. She clutched it as if trying to dull the ache but to no avail.  
   
She could hardly believe her eyes. She’d just seen Zero for the first time in nearly 3 years... And she had spent that time avoiding thinking about him. It hurt too much. And now, seeing him again for the first time in so long… got her all worked up. And… seeing him with a woman… It was unusual for him. No wonder the girl gave her a dirty look when she walked by… Maybe she and Zero were… lovers. Yuki couldn’t understand why that bothered her so much. But there was a time when Yuki was the only girl in Zero’s life.  _She_  used to be the one standing beside him… his partner. She guessed… she’d been replaced. And Zero hated her now… How had things gone so wrong between them? It was troubling that things had to be as they were between Zero and herself. All she ever wanted… was to help him.  
   
 _Yuki ran as fast as her legs could carry her. She had to reach him before it was too late; she had to stop him from leaving…_  
   
 _She caught up with him just as he was about to reach the main gates of Cross Academy. His name left her lips as her body collided into his full force, causing him to drop his bag with a heavy thud. She hadn't even tried to slow down and her arms instantly clung to him. She stood, hugging him tightly from behind, clutching onto him desperately, afraid that if she dared to let go, he’d be gone forever._  
   
 _“Look, it’s going to be okay,” she reassured him. Her hand tightened its hold on him as she continued, “For the past four years, I've stayed by your side. And I had no idea what you were going through. I’m not afraid of you. No matter what, I’m still going to stay by your side.”_  
   
When the memory faded, a disturbing thought occurred to her. She  _hadn’t_  stayed by his side. She had forgotten all about that promise, and that Zero’s fate was so dependent on her. She had readily broken her promise to him in order to go with Kaname. Without occasionally drinking her blood, he would fall faster into a Level E. Yuki’s heart tightened at that. She had promised that she would never let that happen… that she wouldn't let him fall to Level E no matter what, even if he hated her for it, even if Kaname hated her for it… yet, she had so readily forgotten all about her promises and left with Kaname, leaving Zero to his fate, alone and abandoned. That was the whole reason she had allowed him to drink her blood in the first place… to save him, prolong his life. Committing such a forbidden act… lying to keep such a grave secret… all of the hiding and sneaking around… All of it turned out to be for nothing, after she left…  
   
Her mind wondered to the last time she and Zero had spoke.  
  
 _“If you are truly a vampire that I should hate… Then drink my blood."_ Those words evoked a tinge of sadness every time Yuki recalled them. She was a pureblood now, but did that have to mean he should hate her? Using her fangs for the first time… was a very different experience for her, especially using them on Zero instead it being the other way around. Yuki’s fingertips gently touched her lips as she remembered sinking her fangs into him and tasting his blood for the first time, his voice still ringing in her ears. She couldn't help but yearn to taste his blood again. Her mouth watered and her throat suddenly felt dry. She blushed at such a thought and quickly shoved it away; she shouldn't be thinking such things. But could she really be blamed? That was the last time she had gotten to taste real blood… It was unbelievably difficult to settle for the dull, bland taste of blood tablets when compared to real blood. It was like drinking soda with a very strong ‘diet’ taste… It took some getting used to.  
  
  
So much time had passed and she hadn't seen or heard from him even once, but everyone seemed to talk about him. Zero was making quite a reputation for himself. She had heard that he even had the opportunity to become head of the Hunter’s Association, but he refused. If she knew Zero, he had no interest in such a bothersome responsibility. He was still a slacker, as always. A small smile reached Yuki’s face at the thought. Regardless, she was proud of him for coming such a long way, and for becoming so successful. But it also made her dread the day he would come for her…  
   
A small tear escaped her eye. Surprised, Yuki wiped it away and sighed heavily. Even if she missed Zero or briefly wondered from time to time where he was, what he was doing, or if he was doing okay… it didn't matter; He hated her now. That’s why she couldn't have stayed behind the day that she had made the choice to leave Cross Academy. There wasn’t much left for her there. She definitely couldn't turn back now, even if she wanted to. Besides, being with Kaname had always been her destiny. Yuki knew where she belonged. Maybe she should accept his proposal and be done with it…  
   
Yuki gasped, a gentle hand resting on her shoulder. “Kaname,” she acknowledged him affectionately, laying her hand on his and turning to face him.  
   
“Is something wrong?” he asked softly.  
   
Yuki hesitated, “N-no.” Yuki’s found herself concentrating too hard on the floor trying to fight back the tears forming in her eyes. It was no use. He always knew when something was wrong. She was terrible at hiding it.  
   
“What’s wrong, Yuki? You can tell me anything,” Kaname leaned in, and placed a feathery kiss on her cheek.  
   
Yuki lifted her head and sniffed again, wiping her nose with the end of her sleeve. “I… I just…” She struggled to explain herself, “I miss how things used to be. I think… I miss father... and my other home.” She finally finished, “I’ve just been feeling a little emotional lately, I’m sorry.” She sniffed a little and wiped another tear.  
   
Kaname sat down beside her and pulled her into his lap and a comforting embrace, pushing her to lay her head on his shoulder. “It’s alright,” he soothed. “Perhaps we are due for a visit,” he suggested.  
   
Yuki lifted her head to look up at him, and Kaname smiled at her fondly. He caressed her face lovingly and she looked away, avoiding his heated gaze, a bit embarrassed. After everything, she still blushed like a school girl when it came to ‘adult’ things. She frowned a bit at that thought.  
   
“Of course, you miss your adoptive father. Perhaps you wish to speak with him about my recent proposal,” he continued, “I don’t like to see you so upset. Some time away, a change in surroundings, may lift your spirits. I’ll allow you to go alone, if that is what you wish.”  
   
Yuki nodded.  
   
“Then it is decided,” Kaname gently set her aside and stood. “I shall make the appropriate arrangements tomorrow.”  
   
Yuki’s expression brightened with gratitude, “Thank you so much, Kaname.” He was so good to her.  
   
Kaname managed a small smile in return.  
 

* * *

  
   
The ball was finally over, much to Zero relief. Everyone was leaving, and The Association provided him and Ayame with a ride home but he refused, saying he preferred to walk… Ayame wanted to walk with him, but he told her he wanted to be alone so she rode back in the car. Here he was freezing his ass off, mostly because he was stubborn and didn’t really want to be stuck in a vehicle with Ayame for the whole ride home.  
   
The soft, flickering glow of street lamps dimly illuminated the blacktop. It was a still, calm night. Zero tucked his hands in his coat pocket and huddled deeper into his jacket for warmth, his breath left his lips in airy wisps of white.  
   
As Zero wondered down the sidewalk back home, a shrill, blood curdling scream broke the peaceful silence. Mildly startled, Zero stopped, unsure of where the scream had originated. Scanning his surroundings, a distressed girl emerged from the darkness of the park across the street, a Level E vampire following in suite. She fled into the road, stumbling before crashing into the pavement, scraping both of her knees and the palms of her hands.  
   
Zero hesitated to approach, as the scent of the girl’s blood filled the air. His eyes began to seep red.  
   
The young girl screamed again, scrambling to get back up. “Help! Please!”  
   
As if waking from a trance at the girl’s cries, Zero pulled Bloody Rose and rushed to help her, but he didn’t have a clear shot. The Level E had caught up with the girl, attacking her from behind before Zero could reach her. She struggled, screaming and crying hysterically. Cursing under his breath, Zero pulled the Level E off of the girl, throwing it to the ground.  
   
The girl stood on the sidelines and watched her savor as he rendered her attacker motionless. A few moments later, Zero stopped and turned to see her still standing there watching. The tears on her face glimmered in the poor lighting.  
   
“Run,” he told her forcefully, but the girl didn’t move. A frustrated growl rose from Zero’s chest and his eyes flashed crimson, startling the girl. She gasped, her eyes widening as she realized her “savior” was a monster as well. She backed away slowly before finally turning to flee.  
   
As soon as the girl was gone, Zero turned back to the decrepit Level E, a scowl on his face and eyes glowing menacingly. He lifted Bloody Rose level to its eyes.  
   
The Level E hung its head as in resigned defeat, accepting that his inevitable death was near. Strangely, its saddened expression looked almost like one of disappointment, and Zero hesitated as it spoke. “I was so close…” it murmured, “to becoming human again.”  
   
Zero stopped, but didn’t lower his weapon. Something tightened in his chest, but he pushed it aside. “What did you say?”  
   
 “I just… wanted to be human again,” it repeated. “I was searching for the cure, the pureblood-” the fallen vampire winced in pain and choked, cutting itself off. Blood seeped from its mouth as he continued, “the pureblood with the power to turn vampires back into humans.”  
   
Zero remained silent for a moment as if processing what the other vampire had said.  
   
Taking advantage of Zero’s silence, it began to plead, “You have to believe me; I never wanted to hurt anyone. I’ve traveled so far in search of the cure. I was so tired and hungry... I told her to leave me alone, but she wouldn’t listen.” A strange, obsessive glimmer entered the beast’s eyes and voice as he continued, “And… her blood was so…”  
   
The click of Zero’s gun’s safety interrupted the Level E’s musings and its eyes widened in fear.  
   
Zero’s brow furrowed, his face full of apprehension as he contemplated whether to pull the trigger or question the creature further. A pureblood with the ability to revert Level D or Level E vampires back into humans… Could that be possible? After all, Yuki was a pureblood vampire that was turned into a human, so… Maybe it wasn’t a completely crazy notion. That would also explain the increase in Level Es in the area. Were they all after the cure? Zero finally spoke, his voice shook slightly, “Tell me about this pureblood. Where is he?”  
   
The Level E laughed almost hysterically at his inquiry.  
   
Annoyed, Zero brought himself to the ground, face to face with the Level E, successfully silencing it. He stared it in the eye as he held Bloody Rose to the vampire’s temple and lowered his voice into something between a threatening growl and a hushed whisper. “I’m going to ask you one more time. Where can I find him?”  
   
The crazed vampire huffed mockingly. “If I knew, I wouldn’t have still been searching, you dimwit,” the vampire indignantly sputtered.  
   
A dangerous growl rose in Zero’s throat again and he pressed his pistol painfully into the Level E’s skull. “You better start doing better than that.”  
   
The wounded vampire groaned at the merciless assault on its temple and tightened its blood-covered teeth in pain. “Alright, alright!” the vampire pleaded and Zero let up the pressure slightly. “I heard that the pureblood lives in the forests south of here. But all who enter the forest, never return. There’s supposed to be a mansion hidden on the outskirts of the woods, just before you reach the water’s edge. It’s heavily guarded and extremely difficult to find, unless you know where to look.” Its face saddened, “I was so close, you know… just for it all to end here. It was all for nothing.”  
   
Zero felt disgust welled up inside him as he stood, towering over the other vampire’s submissive form, his gun lowered at his side. “You would have murdered that girl who was only trying to help you. What makes you think you still deserve the right to live?” Zero spat bitterly.  
   
The Level E’s expression didn’t change. “You’re right, I don’t deserve to live.”  
   
Accepting his surrender, Zero raised the Bloody Rose and aimed down at the Level E as he had before, his finger on the trigger and ready to deal the final blow.  
   
“You really think you can be saved?” The Level E started darkly, his eyes glimmering crimson. A small smile upturned the corner of his mouth revealing lengthened fangs, “I know why you’re so interested in the cure; you think it can save you. But a cure for vampirism is a lost cause. You’re a fool, just like I was… for thinking otherwise. Face it… You’re going to end up just like me!” Without further warning, the beast sprung up from the ground at Zero and three gunshots echoed into the night.  
 

* * *

  
   
On the way back to her apartment, Ayame sulked in the back seat of The Association’s vehicle. She slouched in the seat with a groan and removed her uncomfortably tall heels. Once the offending shoes were gone, she briefly rubbed her incredibly sore feet before undoing the fancy updo from her hair. She had thought spending time at a ball with Zero would have been a little more fun, but he had been in a particularly foul mood, it seemed. He hadn’t even wanted to ride home with her. She had spent so much time getting ready, making sure her hair and makeup and even her dress was flawless… and she was fairly certain Zero didn’t even notice.  
   
Interrupting her train of thought, her stomach growled incredibly loud. She mentally groaned at how hungry she was. She hadn’t dared eat any of the disgusting vampire food from the party. Her eyes lit up at she turned to the window and noticed the 24 hour café that she had been dying to try.  
   
“Hey, stop at that café!” Ayame demanded to the driver with excitement. They pulled into the lot of the restaurant and parked. The vehicle barely had time to come to a complete stop before she had nearly burst out of the car. She paused after getting out, leaning down to look into the driver’s window which had been rolled down. Her breasts were in clear view as she leaned in, very nearly about to pop out of her dress. “You can wait out here for me, right?” she asked, sweetly. Though it was a question, it might as well have been a command. His eyes were still locked on her cleavage. Not waiting for an answer, she winked at him and cheerfully strolled inside. The older man grumbled in displeasure before lighting a cigarette while he waited.  
   
Seiren casually entered the café shortly after Ayame and sat down in the corner booth beside the restrooms. It was the ideal spot to keep an eye on her target, but subtle enough not to be noticed. She sat quietly eyeing Ayame from across the nearly empty café, an untouched cup of tea in front of her. She discreetly watched from a distance as Ayame flirted with the waiter as she ordered her meal, smiling sweetly and twirling a strand of her raven tresses. The two chatted a bit until the waiter finally left Ayame’s table to place her order. Seiren waited patiently.  
   
Finally opportunity presented itself when she saw Ayame get up and head for the ladies bathroom, walking almost directly toward her. Just as Ayame was about to pass by Seiren’s table, Seiren stood causing Ayame to bump into her none too gently.  
   
“H-hey,” Ayame protested, readjusting her purse on her shoulder a bit angrily. “Watch out, will ya?”  
   
Seiren remain silent and Ayame glared one last time for good measure before she resumed her walk to the restroom.  
   
Quickly placing some money on the table, Seiren made for the exit, casually tucking away the object she had just pickpocketed into her coat pocket.  
 

* * *

  
   
About an hour and a half later, Ayame finally reached her apartment with a satisfied stomach. She’d even managed to get her meal for free by flirting with the waiter, which had lightened her mood considerably. ‘At least dressing up for the night wasn’t a  _total_  waste,’ she thought, pleased with herself. He gave her his number, but of course she would never call.  
   
“Ugh,” Ayame cursed in agitation, rummaging hopelessly through her satchel for her apartment key. She finally gave up; it just simply wasn’t in there. Sighing and letting her bag fall back down to her side, she stood awkwardly in front of her door wondering what to do. Her cell phone had been broken during her last encounter with a Level E.  
   
She fidgeted a moment before strutting the short distance to Zero’s apartment. Since she stopped for food, he had most likely gotten back before she did. She decided to ask Zero to use his phone. She knocked, but there was no answer. She could vaguely hear the muffled sound of running water from inside his door. Knowing that he was likely in the shower, she reached for the knob anyway and was surprised to find the door was unlocked. She hesitated a moment before entering, imagining Zero’s unkind reaction to finding her in his apartment. But she quickly brushed it aside and invited herself in.  
   
‘Maybe I’ll catch a glimpse of him naked,’ Ayame couldn’t help the delighted girlish grin tugging at her lips at the thought.  
   
Upon entering, she began searching for his phone, spotting it on the end table beside the couch. It was an old fashioned telephone; the kind with a spiraled cord. Reaching for the device, she began dialing her father’s number. She didn’t know the direct number for assistance, but her father could send help for her at least. The phone rang twice before his edgy, deep voice answered.  
   
“Hello?” he demanded.  
   
“Hey, daddy” she greeted.  
   
“This better be important, Ayame. I’m busy right now.”  
   
Ayame sighed at his behavior, “I locked myself out of my apartment. I need someone to come unlock it for me. Can you send someone?”  
   
He grumbled in response. “Ayame, I really don’t have time for this. I’ll call for someone after I’m finished here.”  
   
Grateful, Ayame smiled with relief. “Thank you, Daddy. I lo-“Ayame was interrupted by the dial tone, indicating he had already hung up. Ayame sighed heavily and replaced the phone on its holder, then wondered what to do while she waited. She sat down on the couch with a huff and her deep violet eyes drifted to the bathroom door, pleasantly imagining what Zero was doing on the other side.  
   
Inside the bathroom, Zero scrubbed hard at his skin, trying to rid himself of the stench of blood but it didn’t seem to be working. The Level E’s blood was long gone, but he could still smell it. He could still feel it on his face. His skin had been scrubbed raw, and the water was tinted dark pink from his own blood as it ran down the shower drain. His eyes were laced with bloodlust so he scrubbed harder, becoming more frantic. His whole body shook, his hands trembling.  
   
Clumsily turning the shower knob in desperation, Zero adjusted the water and braced himself against the wall of the shower as the temperature severely rose. He flinched and refrained from groaning in discomfort, the harsh temperature of the water scorching his skin red upon contact. He bit his lip and leaned back against the wall of the shower to support his weight. Letting his fangs pierce the delicate flesh of his lip, he could taste his own blood flood his mouth. But it wasn’t enough. It was only enough to ignite his thirst even more.  
   
Zero let his wet, naked body slid down the shower wall into a sitting position. He forced himself to endure the sting of the water. After a moment, it was almost as if his body was numb to the pain. He didn’t even feel it anymore... and he didn’t smell blood anymore. But he was beginning to get light headed. Zero stood up, turning off the water and swaying slightly as he managed to step out of the shower. The steam fogged up the mirror and made it stuffy and more difficult to breathe. He knew he would pass out if he didn’t get out of the cramped, steamy bathroom.  
   
Zero fumbled with the towel that he had laid out and clumsily wrapped it around his waist before opening the bathroom door.  
   
Ayame gasped, seeing Zero emerge from the bathroom shaking, and his body leaning on the wall for support. She rushed to his side to help and attempted to pull his arm over her shoulders, but Zero jerked out of her grasp. He staggered, struggling to stand on his own. He didn’t have time to wonder why or how Ayame was in his apartment, the vision of her becoming distorted. The whole room seemed to tilt before becoming a blur and finally fading to black.  
   
“Zero!” Ayame barely had time to catch Zero’s limp body before he collided with the floor. His towel however, slipped from his waist. She heard something fall to the floor. She glanced down and immediately flushed red from head to toe, realizing that Zero’s towel was now laying at her feet. Ayame blushed deeply, trying to keep herself from sneaking a peek at him and failed. His wet, completely naked body was limp in her arms. She marveled at how flawlessly gorgeous he was. He really had a model’s body. ‘Calm down, Ayame,’ she mentally scolded herself, ‘It’s not like you haven’t seen a naked man before.’  
   
She struggled to adjust him in her arms, wondering how she was going to get him over to his bed, even though it was only a few feet away. Despite being thin, he wasn’t very light… And last time she carried him to bed, he at least helped a little. She wiped the sweat from her brow, breathing heavily from the strain of trying to support his weight. His smooth bare skin felt good against hers as she managed to carry him to his bed.  
   
Struggling, Ayame sighed in relief and exhaustion when she finished laying him down. He was still naked, trying her hardest not to look as she covered Zero’s wet body with a blanket to maintain his decency. She might have been a pervert, but she respected his privacy… Plus, she was afraid of what he might do if he realized that she took advantage of him while he was unconscious.  
   
Glancing down at him, his expression was troubled. He didn’t seem to be resting peacefully in the least. Ayame reached up and brushed his wet bangs from his face, eyeing him tenderly. Suddenly Zero groaned, catching Ayame off guard. She silently hoped that he didn’t wake up when they were in such a misleading position. “Yuki, don't,” he mumbled breathily, stirring slightly.   
   
Ayame froze at hearing him say someone’s name, looking at him in confusion and his nakedness temporarily forgotten. She couldn't quite make out the rest of what he said. She could tell that he was still unconscious, judging by his expression and his eyes remaining shut.  
   
‘Yuki?’ she mentally questioned. He was saying a girl’s name in his sleep, though it wasn’t the first time she'd heard it. That was the name of that pureblood from the ball, as she recalled. Ayame suddenly felt a sickness in the pit of her stomach. Jealousy began to creep up on her. Maybe she was an ex. Or his secret lover… Maybe this Yuki person was the reason he refused to show any interest in her, regardless of how desperately she threw herself at him and tried to show him how much she cared. She huffed helplessly. ‘How can I compete with a Kuran pureblood princess?’ she wondered dryly.  
   
Nonetheless, she continued to caress his dripping hair and tried her best to comfort him. She felt so foolish... ‘What am I doing here?’ Ayame silently wondered, feeling a bit out of place in Zero’s apartment all of a sudden.  
   
Not wanting to be found in Zero’s apartment, especially with him in bed naked, Ayame retrieved her bag and decided to wait in the hall for her apartment to be unlocked. She opened the door, adjusting her bag over her shoulder and carelessly bumping into her father as she was doing so. She bounced off his solid chest and stumbled back a bit.  
   
“Oh,” she started, feeling a bit self-conscious about him seeing her exiting Zero’s apartment. “F-father,” she stuttered, “What are you doing here? I thought you were going to send someone...”  
   
She noticed him peeking over her shoulder, straining to see inside where Zero was resting bare-chested in his bed… And she had just exited his apartment. It looked a little suspicious… Okay, a lot suspicious. She quickly moved to shut the door behind her.  
   
“What were you doing in Kiryu’s apartment?” He asked aggressively, disregarding her question. He looked as though he was in the mood to murder someone.  
   
“Well, I…” She swallowed hard, feeling her chest tighten and her face heat up. Her father was frightening when he was angry. “I just used his phone, father.” She answered innocently, trying to keep her voice from shaking. “And I was just waiting there until assistance came to unlock my apartment.”  
   
He pointed an angry finger in her face, “Are you sleeping with him, Ayame?” he bluntly accused.  
   
“W-wha?” Shocked at the accusation, she resisted the urge to blush... Now was not the time. “N-no!” she defended.  
   
He stooped down in her face, his murderous eyes level with her frightened ones. “You stay away from him, you hear me?” he warned, “He’s nothing but trouble.”  
   
Her head down in submission, Ayame remained quiet and simply nodded.  
   
“Here,” he shoved a spare key to her apartment into her hand. Her father threw one last dirty look toward Zero’s apartment door before leaving.  
   
Ayame almost collapsed in relief. That could have been a lot worse… Wearily, she approached her door and fumbled with the key a moment before she managed to unlock it. She shut and locked the door behind her, set her shoulder bag on the table, and rummaged through her fridge.  
   
‘Men,’ she thought wryly. All the stress was making her work up an appetite again.  
 


	5. Chapter 5

Zero laid exhausted on his couch, his arm draped over his face to block out the light that the end table lamp emitted. Countless books covered Zero’s coffee table and littered the floor of his apartment. Specific pages were bookmarked and highlighted.  
   
After his encounter with the Level E a few nights ago, Zero had decided to visit the Association’s library. He had to find out if it had been telling the truth. The thought of becoming human again… It plagued Zero’s mind. It teased and taunted him. He knew it must have been too good to be true. But the possibility meant that there was hope for him. He couldn’t just ignore something that could save his life and give him back his humanity. He wouldn’t have to suffer anymore; no more bloodlust, no more hunger or pain, no more self-loathing. He would be able to live as a normal vampire hunter.  
   
Turning his head toward the door, Zero sensed a presence. A knock finally broke the silence and Zero reluctantly sat up, swinging his legs over the side of the couch but didn’t stand.  
   
“Zero, are you there?” Ayame’s voice echoed through the door.  
   
Zero hunched over, resting his elbows on his knees and burying his face in his hands. He contemplated answering, but quickly decided against it. He was bothered that he couldn’t remember what happened the other night. He vaguely remembered getting out of the shower, and Ayame being there before he passed out and he woke up in bed naked. His towel was left in the middle of the floor. She came back to check on him later after he woke up and swore nothing happened, telling him about losing her apartment key, but why had she just let herself into his apartment to begin with? That was an invasion of his personal space and privacy. Plus, he was thirsting for blood again and he wasn’t about to let her in, just to tempt him… And he knew she would.  
   
Ayame knocked again. “Zero, come on, I know you’re in there!”  
   
Zero waited and heard a muffled sigh. “Fine, I’ll come back later.” A moment later, she was gone, and it was silent again.  
   
Zero groaned, clutching his chest. His hunger was beginning to overwhelm him.  
   
Zero got up and made his way to the kitchen, grabbing a glass from the cabinet and filling it with warm water. Reaching into his pocket, he retrieved the small tin filled with blood tablets and dropped a couple into the glass. He watched as the tablets sank, leaving a trail of bubbles as they dissolved. The water turned pink and eventually seeped into a deep crimson. He continued to stare at it, dreading when the nauseating liquid would inevitably come back up later. Taking a deep breath and preparing himself, Zero threw back the glass and consumed its contents before slamming it back down on the counter. He couldn’t keep the disgusted look from his face as the last of the putrid liquid slid down his throat.  
   
Wiping his mouth with the inside of his arm, Zero made his way back into the living room and sat back on the edge of the couch with a heavy sigh.  
   
Out of all the books and research that Zero went through, there were only vague accounts of pureblood vampires with the ability to temporarily suppress vampirism and in some cases, restore humanity to Level D and E vampires, although they were extremely rare and most likely extinct. There wasn’t much hard evidence or any good leads so far. Someone could have easily made such stories up to give hope to doomed vampires…  
   
Zero picked up the book that he had discarded on the coffee table and resumed reading where he left off.  
   
_‘Purebloods have a wide assortment of abilities and talents. Some pureblood powers are very common among many purebloods; however, other abilities are much more unique and uncommon. Many purebloods who possess exceptional gifts, such as restoring humanity to vampires, often go to great lengths to hide away and in many cases, choose to keep their abilities a secret to protect themselves. Vampire hunters possess certain techniques for tracking, recognizing, and locating these purebloods, however they are not openly shared and very few hunters are entrusted with such information.’_  
   
To Zero’s dismay, the text didn’t go into any more detail than that. Zero growled in exasperation and threw the book across the room. Basically, these gifted purebloods were kept a secret, although Zero didn’t understand why these purebloods, assuming they existed, choose to hide away instead of using their abilities to prevent transformations to Level E, therefore keeping them from killing people. It didn’t make sense. Zero blew it off as they were simply heartless beasts and didn’t care about other vampires’ fate, yet alone any of their innocent human victims.  
   
Zero rubbed his sore, tired eyes and slouched back into the couch.  
   
Looks like he was doomed after all.  
   
He closed his heavy eyes and let slumber take him.  
   
_Zero stirred from his sleep, vaguely feeling something softly caress the side of his face as he woke. His eyes drifted open and he saw Yuki hovering above him, her eyes soft and full of concern. When it finally registered in his groggy head that Yuki was standing over him, Zero suddenly bolted up, Bloody Rose instantly in hand and ready. Yuki retracted her hand from his face, her expression converting into one of sadness but she remained silent._  
   
_“What the hell do you think you’re doing here?” Zero demanded, “How did you get in?” His finger tightened on the trigger._  
   
_Slowly, her hand reached up and gently lowered the Bloody Rose. For some reason unknown to him, he didn’t resist. “I don’t want to be your enemy, Zero.”_  
   
Zero gasped as he startled himself awake, sitting up with his heart racing. He instantly regretted the rapid movement, his stomach churning in response. Those tablets that he took were about to pay him another visit.  
   
He clumsily made it to the bathroom, kneeling to the toilet and emptied what little stomach contents he had.  
   
He proceeded to the sink, locating his tooth brush and tooth paste, to wash out the horrible taste left in his mouth. Zero lined his toothbrush with paste and began scrubbing his teeth, mindful of his fangs. The toothpaste lathered up, filling his mouth with foam and he spit. After repeating the process a few more times, he rinsed off the brush and shut off the faucet. Just as Zero was about to exit the bathroom, he caught his reflection in the mirror. He looked up and sighed running a hand through his silver hair. He usually avoided mirrors; he hated seeing himself as one of them, let alone in his condition. But for some reason he looked at himself, taking in his own appearance. His reflection was someone one he didn’t quite recognize. It was as if he were looking at a strange lookalike of himself but not quite himself. His skin was pale and features worn, his silver hair was a wild tangled mess... And the edges of the lavender eyes that stared back at him glimmered a sinister crimson.  
   
Unable to stand the sight, a sudden wave of anger rose up inside of him and Zero punched the mirror, shattering shards of glass all over the bathroom tile. Cuts marred his clenched fist, blood dripping. Breathing heavily, his chest heaved up and down as he leaned over the sink, urging himself to calm down.  
   
He couldn’t give up on the cure; He had to keep searching. If he remained a vampire, he would have no future. He would fall to Level E and die a vicious, vile monster. Even if it was a lost cause and he wasted what was left of his time searching, it would be worth it. It would be better than waiting for the beast inside of him to take over... He didn’t want to be afraid to look at himself in the mirror anymore.  
   
Snapping out of his sudden fit of rage, he noticed the mess he had created. He pulled the white hand towel from where it hung on the holder and wrapped his bloodied knuckles. He knelt down and began to clean up the shards and blood from the bathroom floor. He hadn’t made much progress when a knock interrupted the silence. Zero continued to clean up his mess with no intention of answering. Still, the knocking persisted, along with Ayame’s muffled voice making threats through the door if he didn’t let her in this time. Zero finally sighed, setting down the glass and standing to make his way back into the living room to answer the door, the bloodied white rag still wrapped around his wounded hand.  
   
Ayame’s expression was initially cheerful but instantly contorted into one of shock and concern. “What happened?!” she exclaimed, letting herself in and guiding him to the sofa where they both sat down. She took his hand into hers and gently removed the cloth to take a look at the damage.  
   
“I’m fine,” he half-heartedly reassured her, annoyed by the unnecessary attention.  
   
“What did you do?” she asked, pulling out the tiny shards from his knuckles and using the stained rag to wipe away some of the blood.  
   
Zero remained silent. After the pieces of glass were completely removed, she stood, “I’ll get the first aid.” She headed for the bathroom and it took Zero a moment to register her actions. He stood to stop her, but it was too late. She was standing in the bathroom doorway, peering down at the broken glass and bloodied floor in awe. But as if recovering from the shock, she disregarded the scene and carefully stepped around the glass to retrieve the first aid kit from the medicine cabinet.  
   
There was a heavy tension in the air, but neither of them said anything as they sat back down and she wrapped his hand with gauze after applying some antibiotics. He didn’t see the point in going through all the trouble to bandage up his wounds; they’d be gone before nightfall, if not sooner. But he remained silent and let her do what she wanted…  
   
Although she didn’t show it, she was still thinking about the mess in the bathroom. Initially it would have looked as though Zero had been attacked, but if only it weren’t for his bloodied knuckles. He obviously punched the mirror… But why would he do that? It was a well-known fact that Level Es gradually become more irritable and violent. They often show signs of self-harm… And they eventually can’t control their anger or their actions. He must have been struggling with accepting what he was… and to come to terms with his fate. It must be difficult for him and she couldn’t even imagine what it must feel like. Her heart hurt for him. He had all the signs. She was being forced to witness the progression in Zero, and she simply couldn’t bare it. A simple tear fell from her eye and she quickly brushed it away, but not without Zero noticing.  
   
Zero just turned away. He didn’t want to know what she was thinking or why she was crying… He couldn’t quite bring himself to care at the moment.  
 

* * *

  
   
Yuki bit her lip and tapped her foot impatiently as she sat on the sofa, eagerly awaiting her adoptive father’s return. Yuki inhaled deeply, immediately feeling more content. She had missed the smell of home, as strange as it seemed.  
   
Although Yuki still hadn’t voiced any of her concerns to Kaname about feeling out-of-place at the manor, she knew that he could sense her discontentment. Here she was, fidgeting anxiously in her adoptive father’s living room for his return.  
   
Finally, the door stirred and Kaien entered, distracted by the paperwork in his hand. After a moment, he peered up and his paperwork suddenly flew up and littered the floor. “Oh, my Yuki has returned to me!” Cross exclaimed dramatically upon seeing her in his quarters, waiting for his return. “What a pleasant surprise!”  
   
“Father!” Yuki exclaimed happily, all but throwing herself in his welcoming arms. “I’ve missed you so much!”  
   
“Yes, we have much to catch up on!” he led her to the table to sit. “I bet you are absolutely starved from your travels. I have this new recipe that I-”  
   
Yuki began to tune out his rambling as he went to work in the kitchen cooking up a bunch of his concoctions. Strangely, she didn’t mind whatever she would be forced to eat. She was just happy to be home again. Being in familiar surroundings was so refreshing and made her feel at ease for the first time in a while. This was exactly what she needed.  
 

* * *

  
   
“Zero Kiryu may be the best hunter this association has ever seen, but he is also a grave threat to this association. He’s undoubtedly unstable, and it’s only a matter of time before he loses his sanity.”  
   
“I agree. It’s a wonder how he has managed to hold on this long.”  
   
“It may be close to impossible to destroy him once he falls to Level E. I say we take care of him while he is still manageable.”  
   
“I hate to say it, but I agree as well. We must avoid as much bloodshed as possible.”  
   
Ayame couldn’t believe her ears, as she sat among the Association's higher ups for a meeting. Her heart pounded in her chest, her whole body trembling. Tears threatened to fall from her unyielding face as she spoke, “Are you people listening you yourselves?!” Ayame stood abruptly; causing her chair to crash to the floor behind her. “I can’t believe any of you would be comfortable with murdering ‘ _the_  best hunter this association has ever seen,’ as you had so perfectly put it yourself, father! Zero Kiryu is an  _asset_  to us! No one has dared challenge us for as long as he is on our side! He is the only thing holding what’s left of this association together!” Ayame argued, “He hasn’t harmed anyone and he is managing just fine! He hasn’t given us reason to believe otherwise!” Ayame’s fists were clenched at her sides, shaking in rage, but also in fear… fear for Zero’s life. She couldn’t bear the thought of Zero’s death. Her own flesh and blood, her father and the president of the Hunter’s Association, was the man demanding the murder of someone very dear to her. How could he do that to her?!  
   
“The girl does have a point. I would much rather have Kiryu as our ally than an enemy.”  
   
“Yes, but Zero’s fate is unavoidable. He  _will_  lose his mind once he falls to Level E. He will become the most powerful, destructive level E any of us have ever known and then it’ll be our duty to eliminate him.” Ayame’s jaw tighten, her head bowed to hide the tears in her eyes as she heard her father’s words, “It’s now or later; if we delay the inevitable, innocent lives could be lost in the process. We must act now, before it is too late!”  
   
Unable to listen anymore, Ayame stormed out of the room. As Ayame reached the front steps to the building and began to descend them, her father cut her off, grabbing her by the shoulder and spinning her around to face him. Ayame gasped, taken off guard.  
   
“What the hell was that back there, Ayame?!” He yelled at her, “You were  _way_  out of line! What the hell is wrong with you?!”  
   
“Father, how could you?” Ayame’s voice shook as she spoke. The grip he had on Ayame’s shoulders was painful and would probably bruise, but she barely acknowledged it. She couldn’t even bear to look him in the eye, her bangs shadowing her face.  
   
“This is for your own good,” he said harshly, “You stay away from that boy, Ayame. He is nothing but trouble.” The man’s face softened and he pulled her to him in a firm embrace that didn’t allow for objection. “I’m doing this to protect you. He will turn on you, Ayame; like a rabid dog. You’ll understand and thank me one day.”  
   
Before she could say anything more, her father left her without another word and she made her way back to the association dorm apartments. Zero’s life was in danger and she wasn’t about to stand by and do nothing. She had to warn him.  
   
Ayame eagerly pounded on Zero’s door. “Zero, let me in!” She waited a short moment, but there was no sound from the other side of the door. “Zero, please! It’s important!” she pleaded.  
   
Slowly, she heard the lock on the other side of the door unlatch and she impatiently pushed her way into Zero’s apartment, disregarding his protests. She quickly shut the door, locking it, and forced him back against it.  
   
“What the hell is this all about, Ayame?” Zero demanded, not too happy about virtually being manhandled.  
   
Ayame held his shoulders firmly to the door as she spoke gravely. “You have to get out of here. The association is plotting against you, Zero. They think you’re unstable and a threat to the association. They’re going to come after you any minute!” To Ayame’s surprise and confusion, Zero relaxed at her words. He wasn’t alarmed in the least. “Zero, aren’t you hearing me?!”  
   
Zero sighed and ran his hand through his hair, pushing her off of him and making his way to the couch. Ayame watched him sit down with a questioning look, waiting for him to say something.  
   
“I know,” Zero finally said. He had already known it was going to happen... or at least suspected. All of the anxious whispers and the cautious glances didn’t go unnoticed every time he was around other hunters. Everyone was always on edge around him, but he didn’t blame them… They were smart to be cautious. He was a ticking time bomb.  
   
“You know?” Ayame repeated incredulously. “How? Then why are you still here?!”  
   
“Ayame, this isn’t your concern. You shouldn’t be getting involved in these things; it’s dangerous.”  
   
Ayame’s brows furrowed and she walked over to where he sat on the sofa, bending down to look him in the eye. She stared at him, trying to judge his expression as he avoided her gaze. She grumbled in agitation. “But Zero-“  
   
“Just by being here and telling me all of this, you’re betraying the association and aiding a fugitive. You could be killed.” Zero interrupted, his gaze was firm when they met hers. “Go back to your dorm, Ayame. You weren’t here.”  
   
After a moment, Ayame stood in defeat. “You’re not going to let them kill you, are you Zero?”  
   
Zero remained silent, avoiding her gaze again.  
   
Frustrated and realizing he wasn’t going to answer, she found comfort in the fact that he used the word 'fugitive,' as if he planned on running. Ayame leaned down and placed a quick, chaste kiss on his cheek. Mildly taken off guard, Zero stared at her a moment before she reluctantly left his apartment without a word.  
   
When she was gone, Zero stood and began to pace the room. He honestly didn’t know what he planned to do; he had been avoiding this issue for a while. He didn’t have many options. If he ran, he didn’t have anywhere to go and they’d hunt him down. If he stayed and did nothing or turned himself in, they’d likely kill him on sight. He doubted they could be reasoned with once they made their decision.  
   
Mind made up, Zero began to quickly gather anything that he needed, stuffing it in his old school book bag. He rummaged through his closet and groaned when a hard object fell over and struck him over the head. Lightly rubbing the now tender area of his skull, Zero picked up the culprit of the newly developing lump on his head. It was a long, heavy object folded neatly in a white cloth. Zero unwrapped the object to reveal Ichiru’s sword.  
   
Something tugged at Zero’s chest. He had forgotten about some of his twin brother’s things that he stashed away in his closet. There was a box that contained the remains of Ichiru’s belongings; his white mask, Shizuka’s bells that he use to wear in his hair, and various other personal belongings that had been left in his dorm room after the battle with Rido. After brief thought, Zero took the bells, fighting the urge to cringe at the obnoxious jingling as he did so. Although they were originally Shizuka’s bells, they reminded him more of his brother, seeing as it had become his signature hair accessory after Shizuka’s death. The last time Zero had seen his brother, he was wearing those bells. They had been something very dear to Ichiru. Zero wrapped the ribbon of the bells around the hilt of the sword and secured them there as if they were a decoration, proceeding to mount his twin’s weapon at his waist, and placed the mask in his bag for later use. He was about to become a fugitive; he would likely need to hide his identity from now on.  
   
Zero continued to pack clothes, blood tablets, money, and weapons into his bag and heaved it over one of his shoulders before heading to the door, still unsure about his destination. He paused, looking the apartment over one last time.  
   
His bed was unmade. Books still cluttered the small space. There were a few dishes in the sink.  
   
He sighed before turning and flipping off the light. He was about to grab for the door knob when there was a sudden knock at the door. He could tell immediately that it wasn’t Ayame.  
   
‘Well the easy way out of here is off limits now,’ he thought wryly to himself.  
   
The knocking got louder and more persistent, as if it were being bashed in.  
   
Zero quickly moved to the window above the kitchen sink. He struggled at first to pry it open. Finally the window gave out and slid up with an ear-piercing screech. Once open, Zero climbed over the counter and out of the window, using the fire escape to make his getaway.  
   
The door to Zero’s apartment burst open seconds later. A group of hunters rushed in and began to search. Ayame’s father stood angrily in the doorway while they did their job.  
   
“There!” one of them shouted, pointing out of the window. They all three gathered around the open window, aiming their ranged weapons at Zero’s retreating back.  
   
Arrows littered the ground, Zero struggling to dodge them. He cried out in agony, as an arrow pierced through his back clear to his chest, a throwing star stuck in his right arm and another grazed his left leg.  
   
Moments later, they lowered their weapons.  
   
“He’s gone. We were too late, he knew we were coming,” one of the hunters informed him. “But he’s badly wounded.”  
   
Upon hearing those words, the head of the Association stormed the short distance to his daughter’s apartment and had beat down her door in seconds. There was only one person who could have warned Zero of their plan. Ayame was about to intimately know the wrath of her father.  
   
Startled, Ayame stared wide-eyed up at her father from her seat at the kitchen table with a book in her hand and a bowl of cereal sitting on the table in front of her.  
   
Before her door had gotten busted in, she had heard the commotion across the hall but she didn’t dare peek outside her door to look. She had been sitting in her apartment, pretending to read a book, hoping that Zero had gotten away. Now she stared up at her father, pretending to be oblivious to what was going on when she was really awaiting the new as to whether or not they had caught Zero. “Did you get him?” she asked dryly, taking a bite of her cereal and returning her gaze back to her book, crossing her legs in indifference.  
   
“He’d known we were coming,” he informed her, “You wouldn’t happened to have anything to do with that, would you?” He questioned threateningly.  
   
 ‘So they hadn’t got him,’ she thought with relief. She swallowed hard, trying to keep her cool. “Of course not.” She answered as if it were the most obvious answer in the world. She looked as if she hadn’t bothered to take her eyes off the book when she answered out of spite, but really, she was afraid he might see through her lie if she were to look at him.  
   
He leaned down in her face in an aggressive manner. “Good,” he snapped lowly, “Because if I find out that you had anything to do with his escape, you  _will_  pay dearly.”  
   
She didn’t doubt the sincerity of his words; she knew just by the scowl on his face that he was indeed prepared to murder his own flesh and blood if she had betrayed him.  


* * *

  
   
Zero’s vision was beginning to blur, but he could barely make out the city lights in the distance. He could find an inn to sleep in for the night, but in his condition it would raise questions and draw too much attention. He still had a long way to go before he reached civilization and he was feeling very weak… and thirsty. He couldn’t risk being around people.  
   
Limping, Zero found a tree to rest and relieved himself of the weight of his bag. He couldn’t stay in one place too long. The association would be looking for him.  
   
Zero felt rather numb at this point, he had lost so much blood. Struggling to think straight, he turned his attention to his wounds. The throwing dagger was still lodged in his arm, the arrow still protruding from his back. Zero winced, firmly grasping the anti-vampire weapon stuck in his arm. He took a deep breath and yanked it out. Zero cried out in pain before throwing the throwing star away. Blood was flowing more freely now; He needed to stop the bleeding.  
   
Zero pulled his bag into his lap and rummaged through it. He pulled out one of his shirts, wrapping it tightly around his wound and tied it securely over his bloodied sleeve, seeing as he couldn’t remove his soiled clothes with an arrow protruding from his back. It would do for now but he needed medical help soon. He couldn’t pull the arrow out himself. Zero knew he definitely couldn’t go to a hospital, so that left only one other option… Kaien Cross. Zero knew Cross would take him in willingly and bandage him up good as new. He really didn’t want to get his adoptive father involved, but he didn’t really have a choice at the moment. He had nowhere else to go.  
   
Grabbing his book bag, Zero began to zip it back up when he noticed that his brother’s mask was laying on the ground. It must have fallen out when he was looking through his bag. Zero strained a bit to pick it up, then managing to slip it on over his head. Now was as good a time as any to start wearing it...  
   
He used the tree for support to stand, lifting his bag onto his good shoulder and set out for Cross Academy.  
                                    

* * *

  
   
After a very fulfilling home cooked meal and catching up with her adoptive father, Cross had to return to his paper work and other matters, reluctantly leaving Yuki alone for a while. He apologized profusely for having to go so soon after she arrived, but Yuki assured him that it was fine and that they could talk more later. She contemplated staying the night, but she thought Kaname might worry.  
   
Once the Headmaster left, Yuki had set to work on cleaning the dishes, filling the sink with warm water and gathering all of the dishes to the sink. She hummed happily to herself as she then began to scrub each dish clean.  
   
Yuki suddenly paused. She couldn’t hear much over the running of water, but she could’ve sworn she heard a crash. Shutting off the faucet, she cautiously peered out into the dining room. “Father?” she called with uncertainty. There was no response. She didn’t see anyone, but she could smell… blood. She noticed a small trail of blood, bloody hand smudges on the table, one of the chairs were tipped over, and finally she registered the stickiness on her hands. Glancing down, her hands were coated crimson from where she had touched the door knob.  
   
Before Yuki could fully process, she gasped as she was roughly grabbed from behind, a hand muffling her scream.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> By the way, this is a very old fic that I started writing a very long time ago. It's been posted on my personal website for 3 years. I have up to chapter 10 written, but only 8 chapters posted on my site. I hadn't worked on it in a long while but I'm planning to try to dedicate more time to it now.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm dedicating this chapter post to Mirria1. Thank you for your interest in my fanfiction! If you are interested in reading more than just what is available on here, there's a few more chapters posted on my Weebly website:
> 
> http://lemonlimemaidfanfiction.weebly.com/
> 
> I would like to throw it out there that I prefer to get reviews through Archive of our Own, rather than on Weebly. Also, I do recommend using a computer and not a phone to view my Weebly page because it looks and functions better. Enjoy ;)

With lightning speed, Zero had grabbed the small girl from behind and she gasped as he threw her up against the wall, one forceful hand tightly holding her in place and the other hand shaking uncontrollably as he pressed his gun hard into her, the metal cold against her chest. His finger was tense and twitched as it rested heavily on the trigger. He was hesitating… realizing the sad, frightened expression on her face. His mind screamed at him to shoot her, but his finger wouldn't pull the trigger.  
   
He had imagined this moment and replayed it over and over in his head a million times and yet, why couldn’t he pull the trigger? He couldn’t afford to lose his resolve. His rapid breathing was full of frustration and hate for the woman he had trapped, tearful and motionless before him. He had to put his feelings aside and do what needed to be done. He needed her to attack him first… to provoke him… But she seemed to have no intention of fighting back.  
   
 “Why won’t you defend yourself?” he growled at her angrily, “Don't think that I won't kill you.” She winced at the harsh quality in his voice but she couldn’t find any words to say. “Why won’t you defend yourself?!” he shouted again, “Answer me, damn it!” He pulled her forward and shoved her into the wall once more, raising his gun to her face.  
   
Yuki’s heart beat wildly in her chest. Watching him while he was seemingly at war with himself, Yuki couldn’t help but to stare wide-eyed at him. She couldn’t believe that after all this time, Zero was standing right in front of her. His hair was a little longer than she was used to seeing him with. That, and the fact that he was wearing Ichiru’s mask as well as carrying his sword at his side, made her second-guess whether it was really Zero she was looking at or his deceased twin. She noticed his slight 5 o’clock shadow and that he looked a tad disheveled. His features were no longer ones of a boy, but of a man… When exactly had Zero become so masculine and grown up, she wondered.  
   
Staring down the unforgiving barrel of Bloody Rose, she finally managed to speak, “I guess…” she breathed, tears threatening to fall, “I refuse to believe you’ll shoot me, Zero. The Zero I knew wouldn’t pull the trigger.” She pause and then added, “But I guess if I were to die, I’d want  _you_  to be the one… to kill me.”  
   
His eyes widened. She had recited words similar to the ones he had told her a long time ago; that if he lost control of himself, he would want  _her_  to be the one to kill  _him_. Something tightened in his chest, and he couldn’t help but feel ashamed of how cruelly he had treated her just now. He lowered his gun in defeat and lowered his head, but he didn't let her go. He knew she was right; He couldn’t do it. He couldn’t pull the trigger.  
   
Yuki relaxed a little that he lowered his gun. The boy in front of her was the perfect picture of anguish and helplessness. He was strikingly handsome, even as fatigued and grave and severely wounded as he appeared. She wondered how badly he was injured and what happened and why he was here… So many questions, but she didn’t dare ask. The smell of his blood was becoming very difficult to ignore. Yuki lowered her eyes to keep him from seeing the redness seeping into her gaze.  
   
Zero didn’t notice, as he was feeling really light headed.  
   
Yuki gasped in alarm, interrupting her train of thought as Zero fell limp against her without warning. It was then that she could see the arrow protruding from his back. Unable to support his weight for too long, Yuki managed to lower him to the floor, careful to keep him on his side and not to snag the arrow or push it in any further. Her heart pounded, trying hard to keep her vampire instincts under control. There was so much blood and she was now covered in it.  
   
It was that moment that Kaien Cross returned. “Yuki?!” he called in alarm at the sight of the blood trail staining the floor.  
   
“Over here,” she cried from the floor.  
   
Headmaster rushed over, Yuki cradling Zero’s bloodied body in her arms. “What on earth happened?” he questioned, removing Ichiru’s mask from Zero’s face.  
   
“I don’t know,” she sobbed, “He appeared out of nowhere and then just collapsed.” She decided to leave out the part about him almost killing her.  
   
Zero wasn’t completely unconscious, his red eyes rolling back. Cross knelt down, trying to determine Zero’s injuries with deep concern and worry in his usually cheerful features. Assessing the damage of the arrow, it had entered through his back and the very tip was protruding from his chest. It had just barely missed his heart. “Yuki, grab his feet for me please. We need to move him into bed so that he can be properly cared for.”  
   
Yuki nodded and they took him to the bedroom that he had as a child. Zero groaned in pain as they gently laid him on the bed.  
   
“Yuki, I need the medical kit, water, rags, and some scissors.”  
   
Yuki nodded and rushed to fetch the supplies, returning only seconds later. Cross immediately set to work, cutting Zero’s blood-soaked shirt off of his tattered body.  
   
“Yuki,” Cross glanced up at her, his amber eyes meeting her red ones. “You might want to step out for a while.”  
   
Yuki’s chest constricted. She hesitated a moment, reluctant to leave Zero. But she knew that he knew that Zero’s blood was becoming too much for her so she obeyed.  
   
Yuki went to the kitchen, her whole body trembling. Her fangs were fully extended; she had to get rid of the blood before it drove her crazy. She looked down at her crimson-stained clothes, she removed her jacket, discarding it carelessly on the floor. His blood was still on her hands. She moved to the sink, about to wash it off but she stopped before turning the knob. She swallowed hard, the urge to lick the blood off was extremely appealing to her at that moment.  
   
She slowly brought a finger to her mouth, savoring the taste of his blood… Her eyes drifted closed as if in bliss. Snapping back to reality, Yuki mentally scolded herself. She quickly turned on the faucet and washed away what remained of Zero’s blood before her instincts could take over again. Proceeding to fill a glass with water and dropping in blood tablets, she chugged it desperately.  
   
Yuki startled as Zero’s agonized screams abruptly broke the silence, causing Yuki to drop the glass. Shards littered the kitchen floor along with artificial blood. Yuki disregarded the mess, rushing back to Zero’s bedroom to stand in the doorway, gasping in horror.  
   
Kaien had broken the fletched end of the arrow off and had pulled it out of Zero’s chest. Zero was screaming and writhing in agony as he began to apply pressure, fighting to hold him down. Blood was pouring out fast from the wound. Cross was struggling to stop it. The nightstand was covered in bloodied rags and a bowl of bloodstained water, medical supplied cluttered the small surface.  
   
A tear slid down Yuki’s face. He would never make it. There was no way he could survive this…  
   
“Yuki please, I need privacy. You shouldn’t see this,” Kaien ordered sternly.  
   
Yuki forced herself to turn away, tears falling full force now. She felt so helpless…  
   
Hours later, Yuki sat solemnly on the sofa, her eyes red rimmed from crying. She had never imagined Zero dying before and she couldn’t bear the thought. He always came off as invincible to her and now… She was faced with his mortality. She watched the flames dance in the fireplace, anxiously waiting for Kaien to emerge from the bedroom. Zero’s cries had died down, but she wasn’t sure if that was a good thing.  
   
She immediately stood up, awaiting the news as Cross appeared in the doorway, his expression grim.  
   
“He’s resting,” he informed rubbing his temple as if he had a headache. “I managed to stop the bleeding.”  
   
“Can I see him?” She asked urgently. The Headmaster nodded and Yuki was almost instantly at his door. She timidly entered the bedroom, kneeling at Zero’s bedside. Zero’s breathing was ragged, a layer of sweat on his brow. His chest and his upper arm was wrapped in bandages.  
   
Cross appeared behind her, resting his hand on her shoulder. “I’ll go make some tea.”  
 


	7. Chapter 7

_He was declining to Level E. Zero cried out in desperation, grasping his head and fighting to keep control of himself. His mind refused to think about anything… except blood. This was it; he couldn’t take it anymore. He closed his red eyes, ready to surrender to the beast inside of him… it was an unwinnable battle.  
   
“Zero,” Yuki’s gentle voice interrupted.  
   
He turned to see Yuki standing merely feet from him. ‘No, Yuki! Stay back!’ what remained of his sanity shouted at her, but the words didn’t leave his lips. ‘I don’t want her to see me like this.’ He could vaguely hear himself emitting a low, animalistic growl. His red eyes stared at the pulse in her neck. He couldn’t stop himself… He would surely kill her. ‘No, I don’t want to hurt her…’ he thought, ‘Or maybe I do,’ the monster in him countered.  
   
“Zero, it’s me,” She murmured timidly, realizing that something was wrong. Yuki approached him slowly, taking a small step towards him. She continued to verbally reach out to him, attempting to revive his sanity, but it was no use. Zero was no more.  
   
Blood splattered the ground. The delicious smell of her blood entered his nose… the thrilling sound of her screams filled his ears. She begged him to stop, pleaded his name and for his senses to return... And he watched himself devour her. He was powerless to stop… a prisoner in his own body... and she was dying so beautifully. Her body fell limp in his arms and the screaming suddenly stopped... T_ _here was only silence. And a growing puddle of blood seeping from beneath her tiny body._  
   
Yuki sat at the edge of the bed and watched Zero as he slept, his expression distressed as he tossed and turned. ‘What is he dreaming about?’ she wondered, her brows furrowed. He had always been a light sleeper growing up. Come to think of it, she couldn’t recall ever really seeing Zero sleep peacefully; he was always having nightmares and waking up multiple times during the night. When they were young, he would sometimes sneak into her room at night when he couldn't sleep or had a nightmare and vice versa.  
   
“Shhh,” Yuki tried to console him as she brushed her hand through his silver hair in a soothing manner like she had when they were children, “It’s going to be okay.” Almost as though he could hear her in his sleep, he gradually settled down.  
 

* * *

              
   
Letting his eyes drift open, Zero flinched at the harsh intensity of light shining through the window, making his already throbbing skull hurt even more. His head felt heavy and airy at the same time. Where was he? What happened? He couldn’t remember…  
   
Groaning in extreme discomfort, he managed to sit up and take in his surroundings. He was at the Headmaster’s residence. It was coming back to him… slowly.  
   
As he ran his slender fingers through his silver locks, he let out a breath he had been holding, wincing at the painful pinch in his chest in doing so. He peered down, his otherwise bare upper torso covered in recently-changed bandages that were still blood-stained, stripped of all of his clothing aside from a pair of loose-fitting pajama pants.  
   
Zero struggled to remember, his mind still a bit fuzzy. He had been wounded, he recalled, and sought out Kaien, only to discover he was nowhere to be found and… Yuki had been there instead.  
   
Zero’s stomach churned in realization.  
   
"Damn…why now?" He muttered under his breath. He had seen Yuki for the first time since she'd left the academy. Out of all the times to be confronted by her, it had to be now when he was a wanted fugitive, wounded and weak… He already had enough to worry about.  
   
Zero hastily pushed back his covers, clearly unabashed by the sudden change in his equilibrium, swinging his feet over the side of the bed to meet the floor. Legs barely able to carry his weight, he began staggering to the door. He clutched at the unbearable pain in his chest distracting himself by focusing on his movement toward his destination instead.  
   
Zero heard a sleepy, feminine groan. He froze and his shoulders became rigid. His foot was stopped midway to brushing against the plush carpet. The young, silver haired man dared not to turn around. He had lost a dangerous amount of blood and his eyes, he knew, were tainted red with evidence of bloodlust. If he risked a peek over his shoulder and came in contact with Yuki's dark chocolate irises, he doubted he would be able to restrain himself.  
   
Yuki rubbed the sleep from her brown eyes, stretching to relieve the tension in her neck and shoulders from sleeping in the recliner in the corner of Zero’s room. She was a little sore, but she couldn’t bring herself to leave him alone when he was in such a critical state. Bringing her groggy thoughts back to Zero, she looked over to see him making his way to the door. Utter relief washed over her. She had sincerely feared him dying…  
   
“Zero, you’re awake,” he heard her alarmed, concerned, bitterly familiar voice grace the air.  
   
At that moment, his legs gave out and he fell against the doorframe. He turned over onto his back to lean against the wall, he allowed himself to slide down to the floor, leaving a crimson streak of blood down the length of the flat, cream-colored surface.  
   
Yuki rushed to help him, reaching down and intending to wrap her arm under his to help him back to his feet, but he bitterly shoved her hand away. “Don’t touch me; I’m fine.”  
   
She recoiled and dejectedly observed him for a moment, which passed in silence, aside from his labored breathing before she worked up the nerve to break it. “Zero? Do you…” her tiny voice broke and she hesitated to continue, afraid of what his answer may be. Gathering her courage once more, she began again, “Do you really hate me, Zero?”  
   
He looked up at her, breathing still strained. Her voice sounded melodious like the tinkling of bells but it only sickened him. A small moment passed as he stared into her tearful eyes before he answered. “Yes,” was his firm, bitter reply. Yuki found herself fighting back tears at his icy words, a lump forming in her throat. He paused before adding, “I hate what you are… That’s something that will never change.”  
   
His words echoed painfully in her ears, and she could see the disgust in his features. She had known that he would react that way, yet she still asked, willingly putting herself through the trauma of hearing his response. And even though she foresaw his answer, it hurt so much worse to hear him voice it aloud. For some reason, until now, she couldn’t fully believe he could really hate her so much; she couldn‘t convince herself to believe that he could just forget about everything they had been through together and hate her for being something that she couldn‘t change. After all, it wasn’t as if she had chosen to become a vampire; it was how she was born, despite neither of them knowing for a long time. She clutched her chest in attempt to dull the pain it held. When his answer sank in, the reality of it… ate at her heart like acid.  
   
Zero bit back the urge to cry out in agony as he forced himself back to his feet.  
   
Yuki startled. “Zero, you shouldn’t push yourself; you’ve already reopened your wounds… You can’t afford to lose any more blood,” she warned, deep concern shining in her caring orbs and her tears momentarily forgotten. She restrained her urge to help, seeing as he didn’t seem to want it.  
   
“I’m fine,” he grounded out, moving to the nightstand where all the bloody supplies had been removed and a set of clean clothes had been laid out for him, seeing as the clothes he came there with were surely covered in blood and had rips and holes where his wounds had been inflicted. He struggled to put on the clean shirt, his expression unable to hide the pain in his movement.  
   
Yuki stared at him with sadness, taking note of his every move. “Zero,” Yuki finally broke the short silence, “you… look so frail.” Zero went stiff at her words and as she cautiously approached him. “I never should have left you alone.” She touched his face and gently forced him to look at her. She noticed how pale he was, letting her eyes wander from his and look over the rest of his features. Even in such a pitiful state, he was still quite handsome as he always had been. He looked much more weak and sickly than before. Her auburn, crimson-tinted eyes took in his emaciated form with sincere worry. “I’m so sorry Zero,” she breathed softly. She had done this to him; it was all her fault.  
   
He swallowed hard and turned away from her once more, forcing her hands off of him. He should’ve known she would notice how unhealthy he looked. Yuki had always been caring and perceptive as a human. He wondered why even now, when she knew he was obviously pushing her away and openly expressed how much he despised her… she could still look at him with so much concern. Almost as if… she hadn’t changed at all.  
   
Yuki lightly placed a hand on his shoulder, but he removed it immediately, his hold tight on her wrist. Why did she insist on trying to touch him? He couldn’t bear to feel her touch… the hands of a vampire, the hands that have touched Kuran.  
   
Yuki tugged against his iron grip to retrieve her hand, signaling him to let go. Zero reluctantly released his hold on her delicate wrist as she had silently asked but he instantly regretted it when he saw her pull her long hair to the side and bare her neck to him, inviting him to take her blood.  
   
Zero quickly stepped away from her, shaking his head in desperation and panic. His heart pounded against his chest. His body ached for it… the sweet taste of her blood. He breathed heavily, trying desperately to keep his urges in check.  
   
Yuki looked at him with confusion, “Take as much as you want, Zero. You need it.”  
   
Zero could not bring himself to say anything in response, less his voice betray him and show her how much he was thirsting. The dryness in his throat was unbearable, and the pain made his breaths ragged and uneven.  
   
“Please Zero,” she encouraged again when he didn’t move.  
   
He was at war with himself, and Zero seemed to have lost the battle. His eyes suddenly darkened, an edge of something she couldn't quite place appearing in them. Without warning, his body flew at her on its own accord and shoved her back against the wall. He bared his fangs and hastily sunk them into the sensitive flesh of her neck without hesitation.  
   
She gasped as his fangs pierced her, sending shivers down her spine and her small hands fisted his shirt. Her heart pounded against her chest, the heat of his body invading her own. She tried to ignore the moisture building between her legs, a small blush tinting her pale cheeks. She felt weak, but not because of loss of blood. She found herself pulling him closer, biting back the sounds threatening to escape her.  
   
He wasn’t trying to be gentle in the least. After so much drought, drinking her sweet essence was too much for his body to handle. He gulped hungrily.  
   
Kaien Cross walked in and Zero instantly released her, her blood staining his lips and running down his chin and his downcast expression full of shame. The Headmaster stood stunned with fresh bandages and supplies in hand, staring at them with wide eyes. Yuki’s blush deepened, avoiding her adoptive father’s gaze while Zero wiped the blood from his mouth.  
   
“Zero,” Cross started, unsure of how to react. He had never witnessed the two of them committing such acts, though he was aware or at least suspected in the past. He didn’t want to over-react though. He put the supplies for re-dressing Zero’s wound on the nightstand. “You’re awake; I’m relieved to see that you’re better.”  
   
Yuki decided to speak up. “Headmaster, I told him to do it; It’s my-”  
   
The headmaster held up his hand to silence her. “It’s alright, Yuki. You don’t need to explain yourselves.” He said seriously, before a mischievous smirk appeared at the corner of Cross’s lips. “Besides, if you hadn’t done it, then I would have offered my own blood.” He tugged at the collar of his shirt and gestured to his neck, effectively weirding out both the other occupants of the room and earning him a glare from Zero. Acting as if he were a bit put out, Cross frowned before his stern expression returned. “In all reality, Zero had lost a lot of blood. It would have had to be done anyway, so there’s no reason to get worked up over it.”  
   
A bit relieved, Yuki visibly relaxed. She was still a little embarrassed but… at least the Headmaster was understanding. She risked a glance at Zero, but he remained silent.  
   
There was an incredibly awkward silence, and Kaien couldn’t take it any longer. “I’ll go make some breakfast!” he exclaimed happily, pausing just before he exited the room, “Oh and Zero, your bandages are due to be changed. Yuki, would you mind?” without waiting for her to answer, he went to the kitchen to get started on cooking and left them alone to work it out.  
   
Yuki glanced over at Zero and he could feel her eyes on him, but he ignored her. Damn Kaien Cross for putting him in this situation. The last thing he wanted was for Yuki to be left in charge of taking care of him. There really wasn’t much he could do about it; he was too exhausted to protest. ‘Might as well get this over with,’ he thought dryly. Zero reluctantly sat back down on the bed, struggling to remove the shirt he had just put on and trying not to wince in pain as he did so.  
   
“Here, let me help.” Yuki grabbed the hem of the shirt and helped him pull it off over his head. Once removed, she discarded the garment and proceeded to clear all unnecessary items off of the nightstand. She then set to work changing his bandages, gently unwrapping the old, bloodied bandages from his body. Zero stared at the wall and avoided eye contact.  
   
Her body was close to his as she sat with him on the bed; it felt strange after not seeing each other in so long. As she worked to change his bandages, Zero risked looking at her. Yuki was much too focused on her task to notice his eyes on her. He studied her solemn expression and the way she had a more mature aura about her as her gentle hands worked. He tried not to stare at the bite marks he’d left on her neck, though they were nearly gone already. As a vampire, she healed much faster. She wouldn’t have to hide the wound with bandages or gauze like she did when she was human… There would be no evidence for her precious Kaname to find.  
   
Yuki cautiously risked a glance up at Zero, surprised that he was looking back at her. Realizing he was caught, Zero quickly went back to staring at the wall. Yuki felt her heart speed up, knowing he’d been watching her. She could feel her cheeks heating up, but she mentally scolded herself. She was reading too much into it, she knew.  
   
As Yuki slowly peeled off the last of the bandage that was matted with blood to his upper torso, Zero bit back a cry of agony. Trying to cause him as little pain as possible, Yuki almost gasped, slowly revealing the unsightly wound running clear through his chest. After recovering from the initial shock, she poured some medicine onto a pad and began to dab the liquid onto his chest, causing Zero it inhale sharply at the searing pain. Yuki hesitated before continuing. “I’m sorry, I don’t like hurting you.”  
   
He spared her a brief glare before turning his gaze away again. “Could’ve fooled me,” he said dryly.  
   
Yuki glanced up at him, wondering briefly what he meant by that, but decided not to push it. There were more important things to worry about… “How did this happen, Zero?”  
   
Zero remained silent for a moment and she almost thought he wasn’t going to answer. “The Hunter’s Association turned on me. I guess I was a liability; they decided to get rid of me before I fell to Level E.”  
   
Yuki listened as she continued cleaning his wound. It stung and Zero flinched a bit as she did so.  
   
“In the end, I was able to get away, but… unfortunately not unscathed.”  
   
“So they are still looking for you then?” Yuki questioned, staying focused on her task.  
   
“Yes.”  
   
Yuki froze and looked up at him with wide eyes. The Association was bound to find him if he stayed there much longer. He wasn’t safe…  
   
“Why do you look so surprised?”  
   
“I-I’m not.” Yuki reluctantly turned to focus back to dressing his wounds, wrapping the fresh bandages around him. “I mean, not really…” a sad, distant look developed in Yuki’s eye.  
   
Zero tried to ignore how her tiny arms enclosed around his body as she applied the clean bandages around his chest. Why did she look so distressed? Why would she care what happened to him?  
   
“Breakfast is ready,” the headmaster chimed in, poking his head briefly through the doorway, beaming cheerfully.  
   
After Zero was taken care of, Yuki decided to give him privacy and left him to get dressed by himself. Her mind wondered as she quietly set the table, a small smile gracing her lips. Setting the table like this was something she hadn’t done in a while, but it brought back fond memories; she remembered when she used to set the table occasionally back when Cross Academy still existed… just Kaien, Zero and herself… and occasionally Kaname too, of course. She missed those days…  
   
With the table ready to go, Yuki assumed her chair.  
   
Finally Zero slowly emerged from the bedroom, walking almost normally now. He looked considerably better already. Yuki felt relieved. She guessed that drinking the blood of a pureblood must be extremely helpful for his healing.  
   
 “Don’t be shy, let me know what you think.” Kaien said anxiously as he brought out a casserole, a recipe no doubt from one of his cook books. He then began to serve each plate.  
   
Zero sat down in his usual chair, across from Yuki and beside Kaien.  
   
Soon, all of them were seated in front of steaming fresh-out-of-the-oven food. Yuki breathed in the pleasant smell deeply and let it out with an ‘mmm’ sound. “It smells delicious, head… er, father.”  
   
“Well, eat up, my children,” Cross exclaimed eagerly. “I got this recipe from this new cook book that I-“Kaien continued to ramble on.  
   
Yuki and Zero zoned out after a while. The aura between the two of them was strained, but Kaien seemed oblivious as he talked carelessly about anything and everything. They let the headmaster do all of the talking.  
   
Yuki chewed her food thoughtfully. It wouldn’t be long before Zero would be back to normal again… And he would probably leave again as soon as he was well enough. For some reason she felt like she didn’t want him to go. Despite how he felt towards her, the thought of going back to a life without ever seeing Zero… created a dull ache in her chest. She hadn’t realized how much she missed seeing him all the time. When someone is a significant part of your life for so long… and then that person is just abruptly removed one day… it is difficult not to miss them, or not to feel like something is missing.  
   
“So Zero,” Kaien started, bringing Zero out of his reverie, “What have you been doing since you left? I haven’t heard much from you, though I have heard a few things here and there…”  
   
Zero picked at his food for a moment, pushing around a piece of sausage across his plate with his fork. “I’ve been working for The Association... not much to tell.”  
   
Yuki chose to speak up. “The Association is after him. They think he’s dangerous and they’re the reason Zero was wounded,” she informed.  
   
Kaien’s expression became serious. “If this is true, you mustn’t stay here long. They will come looking for you here.” He warned.  
   
“As soon as I’m healed, I’ll be out of your hair, I promise,” Zero responded. “You don’t mind if I take Lily with me, do you headmaster?” He needed to travel fast if he was going to avoid being caught by the Association.  
   
“Lily the horse?” Initially a bit shocked at his request, he then eagerly agreed. “Of course, take whatever you need.”  
   
Zero nodded, standing and returning to his bedroom, emerging again with his bag on his shoulder.  
   
He was about to walk out the door, but Yuki caught his arm lightly. “Zero, wait.”  
   
He violently shrugged her off and turned to her, his eyes piercing daggers at her. “Leave me alone, Yuki.” He demanded. “I want nothing to do with you.”  
   
Her expression was visibly hurt at his reaction. “Where do you plan to go?” she murmured softly, a lump in her throat from holding back tears.  
   
He turned away from her sad eyes. “I’m heading south for the forests.”  
   
Yuki’s eyes widened and Kaien abruptly stood up from his seat. “You can’t travel through those forests. It’s extremely dangerous, Zero.” Kaien warned. “No one ever comes back. Why would you want to go there of all the places?”  
   
“I have my reasons.” Zero replied, about to make a move toward the door again.  
   
Zero had barely opened the door before Yuki slammed it shut again and prevented him from leaving. “You’re not going anywhere until you explain why!” Yuki demanded. “Going there might as well be suicide!”  
   
Zero looked thoroughly annoyed. “Doomed if I do, doomed if I don’t.” he stated. “What’s it to you what I do?” He challenged.  
   
Yuki didn’t answer, her eyes tearing up in frustration. Kaien approached the two bickering vampires, placing a comforting hand on Yuki’s shoulder. He stared at Zero expectantly.  
   
Zero sighed heavily. “Have you heard anything about purebloods with the ability to revert level D vampires back into humans?” He didn’t wait for a response, “If I find them, then… I could get my humanity back.” Zero explained, but felt rather embarrassed as he did so. His eyes were downcast, afraid of their patronizing gazes. The chances of actually becoming human again… He was probably an idiot for believing in it. Even  _he_  thought the idea sounded stupid. But what choice did he really have? Being human again… would solve everything… Well, almost.  
   
“Satisfied now?” Without waiting for the answer, Zero stormed out and slammed the door behind him.  
   
He reached the stables where Lily was kept, deep in thought. He slowly entered and approached his long-lost friend.  
   
Lily didn’t notice him right away. She laid in her pin, her head resting but she stood instantly upon hearing someone enter the stables. Her eyes were ready to face whomever dared to intrude her stables, but when she recognized Zero approaching, she greeted him eagerly, neighing and stomping with excitement.  
   
When he was within reach, she aggressively caressed and nudged him with her nose, almost shoving him over. He grunted, half in pain at his still healing wounds and half due to the air being knocked out of him.  
   
He recovered, rubbing his sore chest. Lily suddenly seemed to realize his mood and distressed state. She put her head briefly on Zero’s shoulder as if to offer him comfort before she inched up to nibble a strand on his silver hair as she always used to do, but he anticipated her actions and dodged her just in time to escape her display of affection. A small fond smile appeared on Zero’s face, his previous troublesome thoughts temporarily forgotten.  
   
“I missed you too, girl,” Zero murmured softly to his companion as he patted her head and stroked her snout. She huffed in response, as if scolding him for not visiting.  
   
“Don’t worry,” he told her, “You’re coming with me.”  
   
He readied her for travel, putting on a saddle, loading up his single bag with his brother’s sword and Bloody Rose armed at his side. He put his brother’s mask back on to conceal his identity. It wasn’t quite nightfall when he headed for the academy’s gates.  
   
Back in the dinning room of the headmaster’s residence, Yuki picked at her food. Kaien had been watching her for some time with concern. “Yuki, are you alright?” he finally asked her.  
   
“Yeah,” she answered quietly.  
   
“Will you be heading back to Kaname today?”  
   
Yuki didn’t respond right away. She knew that she should be getting back. She had already stayed longer than she had planned. Kaname was probably beginning to worry about her.  
   
“Yuki?”  
   
“Yeah.” She finally responded. She wasn’t overly happy to return to the mansion, but she knew Kaname would worry if she didn’t return soon.  
   
Kaien nodded. “I see.”  
   
There was a brief silence between them before Yuki broke it, “Do you…” She stopped, second guessing her question for a moment, “Do you think there really is a way for Zero to be human again?”  
   
Kaien exhaled heavily at her question and pinched the bridge of his nose tiredly before answering, “Yes, I do.”  
   
Yuki’s head darted up to look at him with wide eyes. “You do?” she questioned in disbelief.  
   
“Yes,” He confirmed. “Only female purebloods are cursed with such an ability. In fact, I once met a pureblood with such abilities. She used her power to spare the life of the man she loved. He too was in a very similar situation as Zero and was rapidly declining into a level E. She was able to save him… but at a cost.”  
   
Yuki listened eagerly. She couldn’t help but notice that he referred to the power as a curse. And… she was able to save him… at a cost? He told this story as if he had a personal connection of some sort.  
   
“Yuki, it is possible.” He assured her, “However, it won’t be easy for Zero to convince a pureblood with such abilities to use it.”  
   
Yuki wanted to question him more, but she could tell it was a sensitive subject. Speaking of sensitive subjects… she wanted to tell Kaien about her engagement to Kaname.  
   
“Father,” she began to change the subject. “I um, I actually came here to tell you something.”  
   
“Yes, Yuki? What is it?”  
   
“Well, Kaname… proposed to me,” she said with hesitation, unsure how her adoptive father might react.  
   
Kaien’s expression instantly lit up. He sprung from his seat and pulled her into a bone-crushing hug. “Oh, that’s wonderful news!” he exclaimed, tears of joy seeping from the corners of his eyes, “My little girl is all grown up!”  
                     

* * *

  
   
Leading Lily beside him, Zero froze upon exiting the headmaster’s residence. A black car that he instantly recognized from the Association was quickly approaching, the occupants of the window-tinted vehicle most likely looking for him. He pulled Lily over to the nearest tree and sloppily tied up her reigns before ducking in the shadows behind the other side of the tree as they passed.  
   
He held his breath momentarily. He was worried for Yuki and Kaien who were about to be confronted by hunters of the Association. It was his fault… He quickly shoved the guilt away. He knew they could handle themselves. Especially Kaien Cross. And he didn’t care about Yuki, he reminded himself.  
   
When the vehicle was out of sight, he freed Lily’s reigns and managed to pull himself up onto her saddle with hardly any pain. He signaled Lily and they took off into the sunset.  
 

* * *

  
   
Kaien had his face buried in Yuki’s shoulder, wailing.  
   
She had tried to explain that she hadn’t accepted Kaname’s proposal yet, but he was beyond listening at this point. After the realization that Yuki was no longer a child had hit him, waterfalls of tears had suddenly burst from Kaien’s sad orbs and Yuki spent a good five minutes trying to console her blubbering father when a hard knock erupted at the door.  
   
They both stiffened.  
   
“Who could that be?” Kaien sniffled his runny nose, composing himself as he approached the door to answer. He pulled the door open to reveal three hunters, all dressed in black clothing. He instantly sobered up and stood straight with an uncharacteristically intimidating scowl appearing across his normally bright features. “Can I help you?” he asked, tightly, sizing the hunters up. The one in the middle appeared to be the leader, average height and build with black hair slicked back and a cigar hanging out the corner of his mouth. There was a brown-eyed woman with long, straight blonde hair and a vertical scar across her discolored right eye. The last hunter was rather large and burly and bald, a sneer revealing silver teeth.  
   
“Yes,” the man in the middle answered before the more burly man to his right barged through the door. The other two hunters followed and they all three began to inspect and look around.  
   
Glaring at them in an unwelcome manner, Kaien reluctantly closed the door without taking his eyes off them.  
   
The leader moseyed around before he went to the table and examined the dishes sitting on the surface while the other two hunters wondered into the hallway and the back rooms.  
   
Turning to address Kaien and Yuki, their leader began to speak, “We’re looking for a former hunter named Zero Kiryuu, also known as your adoptive son, as I understand.” The main hunter informed, peering up to judge Kaien’s reaction, “You wouldn’t happen to have seen him, would you?”  
   
“I haven’t seen my son Zero in months.” Kaien retorted. Yuki remained still and silent.  
   
The lead hunter scoffed. “Interesting,” he mocked, “How do you explain three sets of dishes on your table? There is only two of you.”  
   
“M-my fiancé was here,” Yuki provided quickly before she could stop herself, “We were visiting my father here to announce our engagement,” she elaborated, gesturing to Kaien, “but he couldn’t stay long, unfortunately… He’s awfully busy.” She laughed nervously, mentally kicking herself. She had always been a terrible liar… Why couldn’t she just keep her mouth shut?! She hoped that they bought her story.  
   
About that time that the other two hunters emerged from investigating the back rooms and their leader didn’t comment on her explanation. The three hunters exchanged looks before addressing Kaien again, the leader approaching him and invading his personal space.  
   
Yuki shifted nervously in the background, anticipating an attack. Her hand rested on Artemis compressed into its rod form on her thigh.  
   
“If you see him again, I’d strongly suggest you contact the association,” he said in a threatening tone, the woman hunter stepping forward to offer him a contact card which he begrudgingly accepted. “Next time we visit may not be as pleasant as this one.” The hunter and Kaien Cross exchanged angry glares a moment longer before they turned and finally left.  
   
Kaien visibly relaxed before ripping up the business card. “This is why I hate hunters.”  



	8. Chapter 8

Night had long fallen and Zero was exhausted. He’d come across a tavern in a neighboring city before deciding to rest for the night. He tied Lily up outside the Inn with a couple other horses before going inside and approaching the tenant.  
   
“May I help you?” the old man in charge didn’t even look up as he wiped down the counter.  
   
Zero passed the man a generous amount of money. “I’d like a room,” He glanced around cautiously, adjusting the bag on his shoulder. “For however long that’ll buy me.”  
   
The owner stared at the huge amount of money, then up at Zero in shock. Finally he turned to the wall behind him, plucked a set of keys off a hook and tossed them at Zero. “Room 246, up the stairs and at the end of the hall to your left,” the old man gestured.  
   
Zero muttered a quick “Thanks” and ascended the stairs, following the directions the man gave until he stood in front of the proper room number. He had to jiggle the key, but he managed to get the door open. Feeling blindly along the wall, he flipped on the light and took in his surroundings.  
   
He immediately noticed a door to the right, leading to the bathroom and a closet to the left. Zero stepped inside, quietly shutting and locking the door behind him. Walking past the entryway, there were French doors straight ahead leading out to a balcony. A large king size bed was centered on the wall to the right, end tables with lamps on both sides. A small desk sat opposite of the bed and a recliner was tucked away in the far corner.  
   
Zero set his bag down at the foot of the bed, closing all of the curtains and double-checking the locks. He didn’t bother to unpack; he had to be ready to make a quick get-away in case the Association caught up with him.  
   
Exhausted, Zero sat down on the edge of the mattress. He pulled off his mask as he popped roughly six blood tablets in to his mouth and swallowed them without water as if they were ticktacks. His eyes and his whole body felt heavy, letting himself fall back onto the bed. Before he knew it, he’d dozed off.  
 

* * *

  
   
 _Yuki wondered the empty streets, all shops had closed hours ago. It was neither hot nor cold outside and the night was still, eerily quiet. She was beginning to feel the familiar feelings of fear creeping up as it always did when she was alone in town, but she quickly shoved it away. She wasn’t human anymore. She could handle herself if needed. Despite telling herself this, her eyes glanced around out of paranoia. It felt like… Someone was following her; stalking her as if she were prey._  
   
She picked up her pace, glancing behind but to find no one. Suddenly, her gasp was muffled as a hand covered her mouth and she was pulled into a narrow alleyway. She shoved her attacker with all her strength, sending him into the brick wall of the alley with a surprised grunt. She drew Artemis and faced her attacker as he recovered. She tried to make out his face, but it was too dark to see.  
   
He flew at her and she swung her weapon. They collided into each other, stumbling back into the opposite wall. The stranger had somehow managed to knock her weapon away from her. She fought, struggling against an iron grasp. She managed to get her hand free long enough to punch them in the face and they shoved her roughly against the wall in response, knocking the air out of her.  
   
The shadowed figure grasped her throat and she suddenly found it difficult to breathe. She shoved at their chest and clutched at their arm desperately, pleading. A few long seconds passed before she was released and she doubled over in a fit of coughing and gasping for air. Her hand massaged her bruised throat. She wondered why they decided to stop assaulting her, but she wasn’t one to question her blessings. Catching her breath, she peered up at her attacker, urging her eyes to adjust to the lack of light. He moved closer and silver hair glimmered in a small ray of moonlight and that’s when she realized… It was Zero.  
   
Her eyes finally adjusted, and he didn’t look happy to see her at all. In fact, he was aiming Bloody Rose straight at her head execution style with a murderous glint in his eyes.  
   
So he finally came to kill her… Her eyes widened and began to water at this realization.  
   
“Z-Zero,” she breathed, her voice raspy from being choked.  
   
Soon he was in her face, the proximity and the heat of his body invading hers making her uncomfortable. She closed her eyes, more tears escaping. She couldn’t bare to face him… She turned her head to the side to avoid his piercing hate-filled gaze but he grasped her jaw in a painful hold and forced her to look at him, Bloody Rose pressed hard to her temple.  
   
“Please stop,” she begged. “I’ll do anything.”  
   
“Anything?”  
   
Her eyes snapped open at his response. He roughly crushed his lips to hers. She tried to escape his brutal assault, but his hand on her chin still kept her from turning away. She tried pushing him off and punching his chest, but he didn’t budge. She then bit his lip and he hissed in shock and pain. He pulled away, a stream of blood trailing his bottom lip. He touched his lip and then peered down at his fingers at his own blood, dumbfounded.  
   
Yuki could taste his blood lingering in her mouth… And suddenly she wanted more. No, she needed more. She was pretty sure her eyes were glowing crimson now, staring at him with a predatory gaze. This time she shoved him against the stone wall and press her lips to his, tasting the blood from his bottom lip mixing in with their unkind kiss that was gradually turning into a passionate one. Her tongue slipped into his mouth to taste more of him, her hands on either side of his face.  
   
A needy moan escaped him, one hand tangled in her long tresses and his other began to explore her body none too gently, trailing up her thigh and around to grasp the flesh of her buttocks from underneath her dress. Heat radiated from their bodies and she could feel herself begin to throb with desire. He pulled her body against his and she could feel his hardness poking at her thin panties through his jeans, sending tremors of pleasure through her. Her mind felt hazy, trying to process what was happening. But she couldn’t stop… It felt too good.  
   
Yuki woke from her sleep, a deep blush staining her pale cheeks. Her panties were wet and she shifted uncomfortably. She slowly sat up, her long hair cascading around her shoulders as she did so. Yuki gently brought her fingertips to her lips.  
   
Her dream… Zero’s touch… had felt so real. Her heart was still fluttering wildly in her chest and a tingle still lingered on her lips. Why… Why would she have a dream like that? Her cheeks were still burning. She should not have been having dreams like that, not about Zero.  
   
Yuki shook her head as if to clear her thoughts. She wasn’t going to over-think it; People have strange, involuntary dreams all the time. Yuki flopped back down and turned over, pulling her blankets over her head in attempt to fall back to sleep.  
   
But sleep never came. It was no use, there was no way she could sleep after a dream like that. Yuki flung the blankets off her body with a huff.  
   
She wiggled her bare feet into a pair of boots that were sitting on the floor, towards the foot of her 4-post bed. Shrugging on a long coat over her night attire, Yuki crept nervously over to her window, peering out with uncertainty.  
   
She breathed a heavy sigh, steeling her nerves. It was a long drop from her window to the bushes below… Had she still been a human, a fall from such a height would be fatal. She couldn’t be held back by such petty obstacles now, though. Still, she felt a little nervous and unconfident.  
   
She unlocked her double windows, which opened like French doors. She climbed into the window sill, gazing down at the ground below. Clenching her eyes shut, she leapt from the window and braced herself for the impact. But she landed unharmed, aside from some minor cuts from the bushes. She breathed in relief and brushed herself off, heading away from the manor with determination.  
 

* * *

  
   
The sound of light footsteps broke the night’s peaceful silence as Yuki ventured through an unknown town and unfamiliar streets. She had to shake off the sense of Déjà vu she felt from her dream; she half-expected Zero to pop out of nowhere and pull her into an alley any moment, but she knew that was silly. She tried to calm her nerves, as being alone in cities was still a phobia for her, dream or not. But the streets were virtually empty so there wasn’t anything to fear. Plus, she wasn’t a helpless human anymore, she reminded herself.  
   
Yuki shivered, hugging herself in attempt to stay warm. She searched for signs of Zero, but she was beginning to feel a bit discouraged and foolish for searching him out in the first place. She wasn’t even sure where to begin to look, but… He’d said he was heading south for the forests and he would have had to of passed through this area. At this point she was merely following her instincts.  
   
After walking for so long, she was beginning to feel a bit tired and cold, however. She was beginning to wish she had taken the time to change into something a bit warmer… But once she had made up her mind to search out Zero, she had been in such a haste that she acted impulsively, without completely thinking her decision through. She had a coat, but her night dress left her legs bare. She couldn’t feel her feet or hands. She didn’t even know what she would do if she did manage to find him. He probably would be angry; Even if she found him, she was likely to lose her nerve and not even approach him. Regardless, she felt that it would give her some sort of peace just to see him again, even if it was just from a distance and without him ever knowing she was there. She could live with that.  
   
The sound of horses brought Yuki out of her thoughts. She turned, her hopes soaring when she saw White Lily tied up outside of an Inn. Zero  _had_  to be there. She couldn’t believe she actually found him… She silently praised herself.  
   
Yuki slowly approached the horse in question, as if to make sure she wasn’t hallucinating or imagining things. Upon spotting the pureblood princess, Lily huffed threateningly as Yuki drew closer, shooting a piercing glare at her, as if daring her to step closer.  
   
‘Oh yeah, that’s definitely White Lily.’ Yuki thought wryly to herself. Now to find Zero…  
   
She strode into the establishment, though suddenly feeling cautious upon the musty smell and the shady looking people loitering around. She was light on her feet as she crossed the threshold of the doorway. Having not had much opportunity to hone her tracking skills and newly-acquired vampire senses, she could barely pinpoint Zero’s scent amongst all of the other unpleasant smells, but it was enough that she was sure he was there.  
   
Yuki forced her feet to carry her past the counter unseen by the burly inn keeper who was busy drying a beer mug with a rag and conversing with a patron sitting at the bar. Taking advantage of his distraction, she stealthily slunk her way up the stairs without being noticed and attempted to focus on locating which room Zero was staying in, through his ghost of a faded scent.  
   
Just when she figured out which was his, she heard movement on the other side of the door. A small “click” was heard, signaling that the lock had unlatched. By that time, Yuki had already positioned herself beside the door, her back pressed up against the wall as the knob twisted. Even though she had intentionally sought him out, she was still frozen with fear and anxiety about him discovering her, so she instinctively darted around the corner of the hallway corridor.  
 

* * *

  
   
Zero had been tossing and turning, attempting to get some sleep for what seemed to be an eternity. Restless, he rose from bed and left his room, though not without hiding his identity first with Ichiru's mask.  
   
He paused briefly upon entering the hallway when he thought he’d caught a hint of Yuki’s familiar scent but it seemed to have disappeared just as quickly as it appeared. He wondered if he’d imagined it, like he’d done plenty of other times. His cruel mind tended to play tricks on him when it came to Yuki. It seemed that no matter where he went, he couldn’t escape her memory. Her scent had always enticed him in ways he couldn’t understand, even now when it was altered into the scent of a pureblood.  
   
Zero pushed the thoughts to the back of his mind and proceeded to travel down the stairs to the tavern below, flipping the hood of his jacket up over his head. He didn’t want to risk being seen outside in the town so he opted for staying inside and sitting at the bar instead. He picked a seat, crossed his arms over the counter and leaned in, subtly glancing around.  
   
Surprisingly, even while he was wearing a mask and with the hood of his jacket pulled over his head, he still didn’t stand out much. There were quite a few suspicious, shady-looking characters lurking in the shadows of the bar. A few of them had a paranoid demeanor as they continuously glance around every few minutes, sipping on alcoholic beverages. Some had tattoos, piercings, scars… He didn’t fail to take notice of which ones had weapons either.  
   
After sitting at the bar for what felt like forever, the bartender broke him from his stupor, “So what’s your name, Kid?”  
   
Zero peered up dully at the innkeeper. “What’s it to you?” he retorted suspiciously.  
   
The keeper gave him a dirty look at his smart response. “Just making friendly conversation,” he remarked, annoyed at Zero’s blunt disrespect. “If you won’t tell me your name, you wanna tell me what brings you here?”  
   
“Business,” he curtly replied.  
   
“Business, huh?” the man behind the counter repeated sarcastically. “What are you, some sort of spy? ..or fugitive, perhaps? We get a lot of those.”  
   
Something about this guy rubbed him the wrong way. “Trust me, you don’t want to know,” he answered vaguely.  
   
The man pondered a bit at Zero’s secrecy, before brushing it off. He was curious as to how a youngster like him could come across so much money. He recalled how the strange masked silver-haired boy had laid about a months’ worth of money for a room there on the counter without even flinching. He had to be into something deep and/or illegal. “Well, in any case, here…” The man passed Zero a large mug that smelled strongly of alcohol. “You look like you could use a drink. On the house,” he clarified at Zero’s raised eyebrow and questioning look. How would this guy know if he was old enough to drink or not?  
   
Zero hesitated, eyeing the contents of the glass.  
   
“It’s not poisoned or drugged or anything,” the guy chuckled with amusement. He walked off, mumbling about uptight youths.  
   
Zero contemplated whether or not to accept the beverage. It’d probably help with the pain, not just pain from his thirst… but the pain from what remained of his wounds as well. He was considerably better, but… sore still, nonetheless. Traveling so far in such a short amount of time had took its toll on him as well. He needed to be alert and prepared for an attack, not drunk and disoriented… He knew he shouldn’t. But there was a part of him that wanted to forget… forget about Yuki… forget his thirst… forget about what he was and what he was becoming… forget about his impending death… forget that he was running away from the Association… forget it all.  
   
After much thought, Zero finally decided ‘to Hell with it.’ He picked up the cup and downed its contents. Empty, Zero set the mug back on the counter with a quick ‘thanks.’ He grimaced at the horrible taste, but it wasn’t any worse than choking down fake blood.  
   
“Hey, there handsome,” a beautiful red-headed woman in a tight red dress joined him in the seat beside him, a teasing smile tugging at the corner of her full crimson lips. She was mature woman, probably years older than Zero, but had a notable poised manner about her. She ordered two drinks, one of them being a duplicate of whatever he’d just drank and passed it to him.  
   
He eyed the drink and then looked back at her. “Thanks, but I-“  
   
“Oh come on, humor a girl would ya?” she insisted, cutting him off as she tossed her luscious deep red locks over her exposed shoulder and crossed her long bare legs. She leaned in expectantly. “I mean, I did already pay for it, so...” Her glittering emerald green eyes glanced down at the drink and then at him as if silently gesturing for him to drink it.  
   
He didn’t respond.  
   
She purged her lips at him. “How about we play a game,” she suggested. “I’ve been a little bored with the rest of the folks in here, but you… you’re interesting. So, what do you say, my lil brooding Stud muffin?”  
   
He sighed heavily, resisting the urge to roll his eyes at the pet names she was giving him. Maybe it was the alcohol he’d already drank, but he was feeling a little more open-minded than usual. “What kind of game?”  
   
Her smile widened. “I couldn’t help but overhear your conversation with the bartender a second ago.” She admitted. “Since I’d like to get to know you better… how about, I will make educated guesses about you and… If I’m right, you have to take a drink. If I’m wrong, then I’ll drink.”  
   
He looked hesitant to agree but she refused to take no for an answer. In fact, she hadn’t even given him a chance to decline.  
   
“So to start off, I’m going to guess that you just recently broke up with your girlfriend. It would certainly explain the attitude you’ve got and why a good looking guy like you would be sitting here alone at a bar.”  
   
Zero remained silent, but looked up at her in acknowledgement.  
   
“Damn,” she cursed, realizing she was wrong. She took a drink. “Not off to a strong start.” She remarked, poking fun at herself. “Well, you aren’t wearing a wedding ring, so you must not be married,” she noted. “I’m going to guess next that you don’t have a girlfriend or a wife.”  
   
Zero reluctantly took a swig of his drink.  
   
A small smile lifted the corner of her luscious lips. “You’re a loner, and you prefer it that way. Probably don’t have much contact with friends or family, or you just don’t have any.”  
   
He took another drink. “You’re only making easy deductions,” he remarked as if unimpressed.  
   
Her eyes narrowed as if she were getting more serious. “You’re running away from something.” She challenged, stepping it up a notch, upon his provocation.  
   
Zero was beginning to wonder if he had a flashing neon sign over his head that said ‘I’m a fugitive’ on it. He hesitated as he contemplated if he should reveal such information to her, but he was beginning to find it difficult to care about anything anymore… his mind felt numb now. He took another drink.  
   
He wasn’t certain how long the two of them had been talking, but he knew a significant amount of time had passed. He’d finished three more drinks and he wasn’t quite feeling like himself.  
   
“I’m not sure how a good-looking guy like you can be single but I have to say, I thoroughly enjoyed your company, loverboy. Here’s my room number,” she whispered into his ear seductively, the heavy smell of alcohol wafting into his nose. She forced a napkin with her information written on it into his hand. “You’re more than welcome to come keep me company… and my bed warm. I’ll be here all week.” She informed, before roughly grasping his hair and kissing him very forcefully. He didn’t even have time to protest. When she released him, he stared after her stunned, but she only winked at him suggestively before turning to leave.  
   
When she’d disappeared, he waited a few minutes longer to make sure she was truly gone and took the last swig of what remained of his drink. He soon stood, deciding to give sleep another chance. The room was spinning, but he somehow managed to walk normally.  
   
Zero made his way to the staircase and back up to his room, beginning to realize the full effects of the alcohol half way up the stairs. He stumbled, struggling to make it to the top. ‘Maybe I shouldn’t have drank so fast,’ Zero silently reprimanded himself. The fact that he hadn’t eaten anything for a while probably didn’t help with the alcohol absorption either. He apparently overestimated his tolerance.  
   
He struggled up the remaining steps, his body not quite cooperating. He managed the make it to the correct room, the number 246 displayed on the door. He fumbled with the key, but eventually managed to get the door open. He stepped inside, staggering a bit and bracing himself on the wall.  
   
He went into the bathroom, stumbling until he reached the sink, using it for support. He stared at himself in the vanity mirror for a few moments, grumbling. There was red lipstick smeared on his mouth which had no doubt rubbed off when the woman from the bar had kissed him. He clumsily swiped one of the washcloths from the towel holder and wet it, scrubbing the offending residue from his face. Feeling dehydrated and his throat raw, dropped the rag and cupped his hands, filling them with water from the running faucet to drink it. He proceeded to splash more water over his face before exiting the washroom to make for the bed. The thought of sleep sounded much more promising this time around. But he froze.  
   
Even intoxicated as he was, he could feel a presence. His hunter instincts kicked in and he pulled Bloody Rose from his coat. In seconds his gun was cocked and ready to fire, peering up into the blinding darkness of the room where a dark figure stood. He felt a light breeze caress his skin and he knew the balcony doors were open and he'd likely caught the intruder trying to leave.  
   
Yuki was standing a few feet from him, her back to him while she closed the balcony doors again. Her hand moved to the inside of her coat, presumably where she had a weapon concealed.  
   
“Don’t move,” he warned. Zero struggled to focus on the figure in front of him, vision impaired more than usual due to being a bit inebriated. “Turn around slowly.”  
   
She held her hands up in surrender and slowly turned to face him. She watched his jaw tighten when he discovered her identity. He realized he hadn’t just imagined her scent earlier.  
   
“I’m sorry for breaking in, I just…” Yuki’s soft voice interrupted the silence as she attempted to explain herself but Yuki was startled when the smell of alcohol reached her nose. “Zero, have you been drinking?” she wondered in shock. That wasn’t like him. He never drank alcohol in his life… Though, as of late, she wouldn’t know. Maybe he’d taken up drinking in the time they’d been apart. He was old enough, now. But… Zero wasn’t that irresponsible, was he?  
   
“Why the Hell are you here, Yuki?” he snapped, disregarding her question “Didn’t I make it clear enough last time that I don’t want anything to do with you?”  
   
The tension was thick in the air. Yuki timidly began to step backward toward the balcony as if to leave, but Zero snagged her arm, swiftly backing her into the wall. She cried out, her head hitting the wall from the abrupt impact. She tenderly rubbed the back of her head.  
   
He closed the space between them, lean in closer to her. He placing one hand beside of her head, the other pointing his gun at her. “I won’t show you mercy this time, Yuki,” he said, almost as if to convince himself more than her. “I won’t be so weak. I won’t…” his voice cracked and he’d lost his resolve and looked away, his voice trailing off and his entire body trembling. She could tell that he wasn’t quite himself.  
   
Yuki’s eyes were beginning to fill with unshed tears as she silently laid her hand on his wrist holding Bloody Rose, lowering it. He looked back at her and she forced a smile despite her tears… like she always did… when she had been human.  
   
 _‘I want those gentle hands, and this kind smile,’_ Zero forced back the memory of fondness for her. Damn alcohol was making him nostalgic. That was long in the past now. The last time he’d thought about that… He’d almost kissed her.  
   
“You’re so stubborn, Zero,” She said in amazement. She started to say something else, but he cut her off, his lips pressed hard to hers. She gasped against his mouth in shock, her heart racing. She could feel the emotion… the frustration and anger in his kiss… and also desire.  
   
She couldn’t understand him. She wished she knew what was going on in his head. He was giving her so many mixed signals that it confused her. She was terrified of rejection.  
   
Still, her hand grasped his shirt, and he leaned closer, pressing his body against hers and pinning her to the wall. Sparks ignited inside of her… Though she was uncertain, but her hands pulled him closer. She didn’t have time to second guess her actions, as her body seemed to react on its own accord. Her tongue entered his mouth and he eagerly welcomed it. She could taste the remains of alcohol, but she didn’t care.  
   
Her hips instinctively pressed against his, causing him to moan against her mouth. The hand on the back of her neck trailed downward over her body and he shuttered, his lips moving down to her delicate neck. He brushed her oversized jacket out of the way and it slowly fell off her shoulders a little, as did the thin strap of her gown she’d worn beneath it. Yuki’s head fell back, biting back a cry as she felt his fangs enter her flesh. He drank hungrily at first, but then slowed as his thirst had been satisfied.  
   
When he pulled away, his head was downcast and his body still shook. Yuki was confused at his sudden change in demeanor. She heard him mumble something but she couldn’t make out what he’d said. She could smell the blood and alcohol lingering on his breath. “What?”  
   
“I hate you.”  
   
Yuki was taken aback and she felt her heart painfully seize up. She fought the tears and she watched the emotion in his behavior.  
   
“I hate you.” he repeated again, the intensity in his tone increasing as he spoke. “I hate everything about you; your long hair, your smooth voice, your vampire smell, the taste of your pure blood… I hate it all.”  
   
Yuki just watched him for a moment. He was lashing out, but she could see the hurt he was trying to hide. Her heart ached so much… Why did he have to say such things? Despite being a powerful pureblood now, he made her feel so weak. He was emotional because of the alcohol, but… It was probably how he really felt, nonetheless.  
   
“Honestly, I don’t know why this hurts so much,” he said lowly. He was trying to talk himself into pulling the trigger. His gun pressed painfully into her again, his hands were trembling before he froze, feeling something hard pressed into his abdomen in return. He looked down, seeing the pistol that he’d given her so long ago in her hand. He was stunned and he felt his chest tighten. She’d brought it for self defense, just in case he decided to attack her again. She must’ve had it in her coat this whole time. He knew he could eventually provoke her; it was about time she fought back.  
   
Tears flowed down Yuki’s cheeks as she cocked the pistol, “Don’t make me use this. Please Zero,” she begged, clenching her eyes shut, “I never wanted this burden.” Though she hoped her words were convincing, she was bluffing; she could never shoot him. Just the thought of hurting Zero was unbearable.  
   
Zero just stared at her with an unreadable expression. He lowered Bloody Rose, slowly laying it on the floor in surrender. She was stiff and didn't move as he did so. He slowly took her hands in his and adjusted it upward so that the gun she was holding was now positioned at his chest. “You’d better aim for the heart.” He told her softly, his eyes suddenly deep and vulnerable and staring straight into hers.  
   
Yuki gasped, instantly pulling her hands away, letting go of the weapon and leaving the gun in his grasp. She turned away, unable to look into his pained gaze.  
   
‘She surrendered that easily,’ he thought to himself before backing off a bit. He stared down at her and eyes followed her movements as she cautiously righted herself. His gaze was still on her as she straightened out her hair and clothes from their brief passionate moment. Her cheeks flushed as she recalled it and shifted a little at the uncomfortable moisture he’d caused. Her body yearned for more.  
   
He gave her pistol back and she shamefully took it back. Intending to lay down, Zero turned from her, his previous anger forgotten, but he stumbled and fell against the wall. “I don’t feel well,” he groggily groaned.  
   
Alarmed, Yuki rushed to his side to help him to the bed, the fact slipping her mind that they had been holding each other at gunpoint only a few moments ago. He nearly dragged her with him, almost falling on top of him as he collapsed on the mattress, disoriented. She helped him adjust and get comfortable, assisting him to pull his legs onto the bed. He appeared to have immediately fallen asleep, his eyes were closed as he laid on his side, his lips just barely parted as he breathed evenly. His face was void of his usual scowl. One of Yuki’s hands was still holding his, while the other brushed his disheveled hair from his face, staring at him longingly. She hated seeing him like this. She moved to let go of his hand but his grasp tightened around hers, not allowing her to leave.  
   
“Stay,” he murmured with his eyes still closed, his voice sounding incredibly exhausted and heavy.  
   
Yuki’s heart leaped into her throat at his words. He really wanted her to stay? Oh, how she wished she could stay with him… But the truth was, he was drunk. It was really just the alcohol talking. And when he woke in the morning sober, he probably wouldn’t remember asking her to stay, or perhaps forget that she was here altogether… if she was lucky. “I can’t,” she regretfully replied. “You’re drunk. You’ll wake up and try to kill me.”  
   
Zero curtly laughed almost humorlessly, catching Yuki off guard before his lingering smile slowly ebbed away. “You’re probably right,” he replied sadly.  
   
She sighed, contemplating for a moment. “I’ll stay,” Yuki replied softly, “But only for a little while.”  
   
Zero nodded and Yuki hesitantly got in bed with him, laying down behind him. She kept a little distance between them, cautious in case he decided to have a mood swing and threaten her again. Instead, she felt him turn around to face her. Her heart quickened as he rested his head on her chest, wrapping his arm around her and nuzzling his face into her, pulling her close. The weight and warmth of his body on hers was pleasant. It felt good to have him so close, his personal scent filling her senses. She found herself savoring the feeling, wishing it could last.  
   
Yuki absentmindedly stoked Zero’s silver hair, a single tear rolling down her cheek. Her fingers traced his bangs, down to the outline of his slumbering face… At least, she was fairly certain that he was asleep, judging by the heavy rise and fall of his body against hers every time he breathed. Her fingertips caressed his strong jaw and dared to brush the flesh of his neck, feeling the delightfully alluring beat of his pulse. Yuki stared lustfully at his blood rushing just beneath his skin and swallowed hard before averting her crimson eyes and struggling to refrain herself. She wanted his blood so badly… But she knew better than to try to take it. He couldn’t afford to give her any of his blood anyway, in his condition. She couldn’t help but wonder how much time he had left now.  
   
There it was again… that sharp ache in her heart, at the thought of losing Zero. She pushed the thought aside, trying to focus on the present. At that moment, she could nearly forget that the man in her arms hated her. She could pretend, if only for the moment, that everything was fine between them again.  
   
“One more thing,” Zero suddenly added and Yuki felt her body tense. His brows crinkled but he didn’t open his eyes, “Don’t sneak in again unless you want to get shot.”  
   
She suppressed a small smile at his expense, but nodded. “Sure thing.”


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, it's kinda a short chapter... But, at least it's an update, right?

 

When Zero woke, his eyes were bloodshot. Nausea overwhelmed him and he stumbled out of bed to the toilet, retching due to the incompatible combination of alcohol and the blood tablets he’d consumed the night before.

 

Last night’s events had been a bit of a blur; He wasn’t completely certain if Yuki had been there, or if he had dreamed up her being there. Something told him, perhaps the facts that his gun had been left on the floor, that it wasn’t a dream. He struggled to remember what happened, but… he couldn’t recall but bits and pieces. He retrieved Bloody Rose and mentally cursed and vowed to never drink again. He felt like shit. There was a stuffy sort of pressure throbbing against his skull and it made his senses feel a bit off. Zero brushed his teeth and showered, exiting the bathroom and placed his gun on the table to rummage through his bag, his hair still dripping.

 

Suddenly there was a cold blade pressed to his throat. He stiffened, an aggravated scowl instantly appearing on his hard features.

 

“Hey handsome,” a feminine voice whispered into his ear over his shoulder, sending shivers down his spine. Zero instantly recognized the voice as the red-haired woman from the bar.  “Remember me?” Come to think of it, he’d never bothered to ask her name. Or if he had, he couldn’t remember. “Of course you do,” she answered for him before he had much chance to respond. “Come on,” she ordered as she guided him at knifepoint to the chair, “Sit.”

 

He reluctantly did as he was told. She began to tie him up tight, with practiced skill.

 

“Are you with the Association?” he had come to the conclusion that she was playing him all along, trying to get closer and wait for the right opportunity to strike. It worked, seeing as he never suspected her of being a hunter.

 

She snickered in amusement. “It’s nothing personal, sweetheart. I’m a bounty hunter; a girl’s gotta make a living. Just be a good bloodsucker so I don’t have to kill you, m’kay? Someone from the Association will be here for you soon enough.”

 

When she was finished with his bindings, she stood and leisurely walked around to stand in front of him. She knelt down to eye level. He had his usual scowl while her eyes had a smirk to match her lips.

 

She pinched his cheek fondly like a grandmother would do to a child. “It really is a shame though, I really did like you.” She teased and then thrust a flyer in front of his face with his picture on it. It said, ‘Wanted Dead or Alive,’ in bold lettering as the title and described him as ‘very dangerous.’

 

“But I asked all those questions because I had to be sure this was you, ‘Zero Kiryuu.’” She emphasized his name as it was written on the wanted poster. “I’d recognize a handsome face like yours anywhere even if it is hidden behind a mask, but… The hair was what really gave you away.” She was referring to the unusual color. She ruffled his silvery locks playfully until it was a tangled mess and stopped and pondered a moment, lowering the paper and chuckling to herself a little. “In case you weren’t aware, I drugged you too.” She confessed as if gloating, “How else was I going to get all that information out of you? You were so suspicious of the bartender, you never even suspected me. I originally meant to capture you while you were under the influence of the drugs, but there was a woman here with you and that put a little kink in my plan. And I thought you said you didn’t have a girlfriend.” She mocked, “No matter though, it worked out in the end.”

 

He didn’t say anything, only kept up his murderous glare. He was nearly out of his bindings already, using a small file-like blade kept up his sleeve. She was pretty good, but he was specifically equipped and trained on how to get out of situations like this. They probably should have mentioned that on his poster.

 

She was much too busy examining his belongings and the décor, chatting nonchalantly to notice his bindings loosen from him and fall to the floor. She eventually turned and gasped that he was unexpectedly behind her, stumbling backward a little. She swung at him with her knife but he caught her hand and twisted it, forcing her to drop it. He then moved to strike her with the blunt end of his gun in attempt to knock her out, but she twisted out of his grasp and evaded him. The frantic, clumsy dodge she attempted dumped over the stuff on the table and knocked over a lamp with a loud crash.

 

She narrowly escaped but his leg scooped under her feet and tripped her in the process of fleeing. It would have been a lot easier to kill her, but she wasn’t a vampire or even an evil person for that matter and therefore his morals wouldn’t allow it. So he forced himself to play nice.

 

The woman fell and landed beside the rope he’d left discarded on the floor. She snatched it up and scrambled to her feet before he could reach her.

 

There was a knock at the door and Zero turned, momentarily distracted. It was probably a hunter or hunters from the Association. Today obviously was not his day, he decided. The bounty hunter took advantage of the disturbance to get the rope around his neck, squeezing tightly.

 

Zero struggled, thrusting himself backward, smashing her between his back and the wall to free himself multiple times. She still hung on, the rope chaffing as she tightened it even further, cutting into his neck. He was starting to feel lightheaded. He fell to his knees. He didn’t want to hurt her, but… he was beginning to think he didn’t have a choice.

 

He ruthlessly threw her off of him and over his shoulder. He coughed and rubbed his neck in relief. Recovering, he vaguely heard the door burst open and he realized with dread that he’d now have multiple, much more skilled opponents to defeat. He heard the bounty hunter get up but then cry out in pain and crumple back to the floor.

 

Zero aimed his gun as the new intruder as they approached him through blurred vision. They heard the click of Zero’s safety and Ayame gasped. “Please don’t shoot!” She shouted.

 

He stared up in confusion, his mind registering that it was Ayame hovering over him. Releasing the trigger, Zero lowered his gun in relief. “Ayame?” he questioned. “What the hell are you doing here?” She held out her hand to help him up. He accepted it, still massaging the tender flesh of his rope-burned throat with his other hand.

 

“I uh, well…” she stammered nervously, “I kinda, sorta, put a tap on my father’s phone. When this woman called to turn you in, I heard your location and decided to come to your rescue. You should hurry though, others are on their way here for you too.” She braced herself for his reaction, fearing that he may be angry at her for getting involved but he seemed to look more apprehensive than anything.

 

“How’d you get a tap on the phones without getting caught? What if-”

 

 “You clearly underestimate me, Zero.” Ayame interrupted, smugly. “He’s my father, so I guess I just have an advantage. Their only other lead was Kaien Cross; They know you were there, despite your father and that pureblood lying for you, by the way. They’ve set up watch there.” She explained.

 

Zero exhaled, wondering how she knew so much. “You hear that over your father’s tapped phone too?” he asked a little sarcastically.

 

“No, but I have ways of finding things out. It’s easy when your father is head of the Association.” She told him. “Speaking of,” she started, pulling a worn, folded paper out of her pocket and opened it before handing it over to Zero.

 

He accepted it, looking it over skeptically before it registered in his head what he was looking at… It was a map. There was a path outlined in red and a location circled.

 

“That map… will lead you to the only remaining pureblood with the ability to revert you back to a human. Although such information is usually restricted, the Association has maps and records of every pureblood with unique and rare abilities, but… It seems that for this particular power, this may very well be the only one left.”

 

He was admittedly grateful and amazed that she got her hands on something like that for him. That map would be exceptionally useful; He now had a much more clear and set destination of where he was going. Still, she was risking a lot to help him and he hadn’t asked her to. He didn’t want it on his conscience if something bad happened to her.

 

“T-thanks,” he rasped, swallowing. He still forced himself thank her with a bit of effort. He turned back to the redhaired bounty hunter, sprawled unconscious on the floor. He looked a little concerned.

 

“Don’t worry, I only tasered her. She’ll wake up soon.”

 

He nodded in acknowledgement, but was distracted by a sudden thought. “How did you know that I was-“

 

“Looking for a pureblood to cure you?” Ayame finished his question for him. “I saw all the books you checked out from the library and all the stuff you had highlighted. Hope you don’t mind, I stole them from your apartment and hid them before they properly searched your place so the others wouldn’t catch on.” She could tell he was impressed. Speechless, even. “Any more questions for me?” she asked as if it were a challenge.

 

Zero returned his attention back to the worn, yellowed paper in his hand. He stared at the map, as if to memorize it in case something happened to it. After a moment, he looked back at Ayame, folding the map back up and tucking it away. “You beat the Association here and risked your life just to give me this…”

 

Ayame blushed. “I want to help you, Zero. I have connections, you know. I can keep track of the Association’s movement and plans and… I can report back to you what they know and anything else that I find out.”

 

Zero considered her offer, running a hand through his hair and sighing. “It’s too dangerous, Ayame. You’ve already done more than enough.” He replied. “You could get us both killed if they find out you’re helping me.”

 

Her shoulders slumped in disappointment. “I thought you might say that.” Ayame looked back up at him with determination. “Please trust me with this, Zero!” she begged. “You never let me help you, but if you just give me a chance…”

 

Zero sighed and massaged his temples, trying to ease the headache forming there.

“No, Ayame. And that’s final.” His voice was firm, “You shouldn’t let them find you here either.”

 

He didn’t leave room for further discussion and she hung her head. “Don’t worry, I’m gone.” She assured him but then hesitated, looking unsure of herself.

 

Before he could ask what was wrong, she abruptly threw her arms around him in a tight hug, nearly knocking him over. He stood starkly tense, obviously uncomfortable. He initially seemed as if he didn’t know what to do with himself but after a few long moments, she felt one of his arms return the embrace.

 

He soon awkwardly used the same arm to pry her from him, avoiding eye contact. “You should hurry. I’ll be out of here soon after.”

 

Ayame nodded and reluctantly left him, exiting and slipping out through the balcony, just in case there were hunters to confront her if she exited the same way she came. She turned back over her shoulder to watch him stealthily climb down from the balcony, similarly to the way she had. He kept to the shadows and snuck around the back way to where the horses were kept to retrieve a solid white one. She watched him climb up and then disappear, staring after him longingly.

 

Seconds later, the sound of a car quickly approaching brought her out of her daze. A black Association vehicle screeched to a halt in front of the tavern and kicked up a lot of dust as it did so. Three hunters immediately emerged, one of them barking orders. They split up and the two men went inside while the female began to walk around the side of the building towards her. She avoided the other hunter before she was seen, slinking away and into the nearest alley. When Ayame was at a safe distance and unlikely to be detected, she took her time heading back to the Association, letting her thoughts take over her mind. Though she was disappointed she couldn’t stay with Zero longer, she was only happy that she could help and see him again. Despite his warnings, she wanted to keep helping him in any way possible… Even if it cost her life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, leave a review if you're feeling charitable :)


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